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PRACTICAL TRAINING 

FOR ATHLETICS, HEALTH, AND PLEASURE. 

ILLUSTRATED. 


) 


















OUTING LIBRARY OF SPORT. 


P RACTICAL T RAINING 

FOR 

Athletics, Health,^ Pleasure. 


RY 


RANDOLPH FARIES, A.M., M.D., 

Director of Physical Education in the University of Pennsyl¬ 
vania, from 1890 to 1897; President of the Inter-Collegiate 
Athletic Association of Amateur Athletes, i886 ? 1887 ; In¬ 
ter-Collegiate Champion Mile Runner, 1884, 1885, 1886; 
Inter-Collegiate Champion Half-Mile Runner, 1887 ; 
Captain of the Athletic Team of the University 
of Pennsylvania, 1887; Left End University of 
Pennsylvania Freshman Football Team, 

1881; Left Fielder University of Penn¬ 
sylvania Baseball Team, 1884, 1885, 1887, 

1888; Attending Surgeon to the 
Orthopaedic Dispensary Uni¬ 
versity OF 'P NSYLVANI A. 


SECOND EDITION. 


The Outing Publishing Company, 

LONDON. 


NEW YORK. 







Gvn u 


V 

\ 



.Copyrighted by Randolph Faries, A.M., M.D. 

1899. 



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CONTENTS 


PART l. 

Chapter. Page. 

I. Exercise in General . n 

II. Stiffness and its Treatment. 37 

III. Bathing. 49 

IV. Rubbing . 62 

V. Diet. 71 

VI. Sleep. 82 

VII. Habits. 92 

VIII. Fatigue. 99 

IX. Overwork.112 

X. Injuries.122 

XI. The Skin.136 

XII. Training in General.145 

XIII. Running in General.163 

PART II. 

training for special events. 

XIV. Sprint Races.175 

100 yards Dash — 220 yards Dash — 300 yards 
Dash—440 yards Dash—440 yards Relay Race 
—660 yards Run. 

XV. Middle Distances.194 

The Half Mile Run—1000 yards Run—The 
Mile Run. 

XVI. Hurdle and Sack Races.206 

120 yards Hurdle — 220 yards Hurdle—Sack 
Racing—Sack Racing over Hurdles. 

XVII. The Mile Walk.223 

XVIII. Jumping.239 

Running Broad Jump—Running High Jump 
—Pole-vaulting for Height and Distance. 

XIX. Throwing the Sixteen-pound Hammer- Putting 

the Sixteen-pound Shot.263 

XX. Bicycle Racing. 279 

XXI. Football.292 

XXII. BasKET-BALL.298 

























ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

Throwing the Discus. (Frontispiece.) 

Standing Start.172 

Crouching Start .174 

^ The High Hurdle.207 

The Mile Walk.222 

Running Broad Jump.238 

Standing Broad Jump.241 

Running High Jump.245 

Pole Vaulting for Height.251 

1 Throwing the Hammer.262 

M Putting the Shot.268 













PREFACE. 


HIS book is written to meet the wants of those 



1 who desire to be guided in taking exercise for 
health, and those who wish to train for athletic contests 
of all kinds. 

The contents consist of explanations of the effects 
of exercise on the body ; pointing out the benefits 
received by judicious exercise, and at the same time 
warning the athlete of. the dangers arising from excess¬ 
ive physical work. Useful hints on “training,” obtained 
from fifteen years of practical experience, and many 
ideas, gathered from some of the best trainers and ath¬ 
letes of the leading colleges, athletic clubs, gymnasiums 
and schools throughout the United States, Canada, and 
England, are presented to the reader, which are of ines¬ 
timable value. 

The topics which will be discussed are : exercise in 
general, stiffness and its treatment, bathing, rubbing, 
diet, sleep, habits, fatigue, overwork, the treatment of 
sprains, strains, ruptures, contusions, abscesses, and 
fractures, the skin, and training so as to “ condition ” 
one’s self for all kinds of contests. 



8 


Preface. 


The book is based not only upon sound medical 
principles, but also the author’s practical experience 
as a teacher of “ physical education ” to boys and 
young men. It points out how weak constitutions may 
be strengthened, predispositions to disease eliminated, 
certain diseases cured, and deals with the dangers and 
abuses of exercise, showing how to avoid them. 

I wish to express a sense of deep gratitude to 
Mr. William B. Curtis, Mr. George D. Gideon, Mr. 
James S. Mitchell, Mr. Frank P. Murray, Mr. Lawrence 
E. Myers, Mr. Hugh C. Baxter, Mr. C. T. Buchholtz, 
Mr. George Orton, Mr. Everett J. Wendell, Mr. Wendell 
Baker, Mr. William Byrd Page, and Dr. J. K. Shell, 
because I owe a great deal of this book not only to 
their ability as athletes, bm aiso to the many cour¬ 
tesies extended to me, and the .personal friendship of 
some of them. 


The Author. 


PART I. 
































CHAPTER I. 


EXERCISE IN GENERAL. 

H UNDREDS of persons exercise daily 
never knowing what the effects of 
the exercise they are taking are, and why 
these effects take place. To understand fully 
the therapeutic value of exercise requires a 
thorough knowledge of medicine with an 
exceptionally good knowledge of physiology 
and anatomy. When taking exercise, in a 
general way, one should always seek to gain health, 
not strength. Health and strength are closely allied, but 
they are by no means the same. Many men are pos¬ 
sessed of very strong intellects, yet they are not healthy. 
Some men are also muscular giants, but when carefully 
examined, it is found that different parts of their body, 
such as the heart, the nervous system, the lungs, and 
the kidneys, are far from healthy. 

No person should take any exercise that requires a 
greater expenditure of energy than the body is able 
sufficiently to repair. Judgment in this respect is a 
most potent factor for accomplishing good or evil, aC' 
cording as it is used or abused by the person exercising. 



12 


Practical Training. 


No person ever injured his constitution in any way 
by judicious exercise. It is the injudicious who suffer. 

Every person should have a purpose in exercising, 
and should follow a regular course in physical training, 
seeking to obtain a healthy, strong and symmetrical 
body. The proper kind of exercise to be taken can be 
mapped out only by an expert with medical assistance ; 
there is absolutely no danger, and great benefit results, 
if the prescribed course be strictly adhered to. 

The way exercise benefits a weakened part of the 
body is by sending new blood to the part. The blood 
itself may be enriched, by taking wholesome food ; and 
this fact should never escape the minds of those who 
anticipate a course of physical culture. 

Pure air and water, sleep, ventilation, clothing, bath¬ 
ing, sunlight, and good habits, are also important aids 
to bodily health and strength ; in fact, they play as 
important a part as exercise itself. 

All general exercise should be taken in moderate 
amounts at first, and there should be a regular pro¬ 
gression from the simplest to the most intricate and 
severe. The weak parts should receive especial atten¬ 
tion until the body attains perfect symmetry ; after this, 
increase in development should be sought for every part 
of the body, in order that no part may suffer. Should 
one part of the body receive greater attention than 
another, the former will become weakened in the exact 
ratio that the latter is strengthened. 

Exercises may consist of free movements or move- 


Exercise in General. 


13 


merits with apparatus. Every muscle in the body can 
be developed without a single piece of apparatus, but 
some persons will not exercise unless they use some of 
the many pieces of apparatus found in a gymnasium. 

Persons who prefer to go to a gymnasium should 
never use a piece of apparatus without being instructed 
as to the group of muscles it is intended to develop. 
When attending a gymnasium be sure that the instructor 
is a competent one, in order that more harm than good 
may not be the result of your exercises. If necessary, 
consult a physician as to your general health. 

Through the influence of any kind of exercise the 
small cells which compose the bodily tissues are brought 
into greater activity and in this way nutrition is increased. 
This takes place because the quality of the blood is 
improved by exercise. The immediate effects of exer¬ 
cise, on the blood, are to produce too much carbonic 
acid ; but the after effects differ greatly, and instead 
of finding, after exercising, an excess of carbonic acid, 
which is a poisonous product, we find an increase of 
oxygen, which is a food. 

Exercise accomplishes a great deal of good by 
increasing the combustion in our bodily tissues, and dur¬ 
ing exercise we find the process of respiration going on 
more rapidly in the lungs, skin, muscles and blood ; that 
is, in these tissues we find a greater absorption of oxy¬ 
gen and more elimination of carbonic acid. 

The person who exercises provides himself with an 
extra amount of oxygen, and in so doing purifies his 


4 


Practical Training. 


blood, because oxygen gives greater vitality to the red 
corpuscles found in the blood. The purified blood is 
carried by exercise to the different tissues in our body ; 
and receiving better blood, they become stronger. 

Muscular work also regulates the nutrition in our 
bodies in a great degree, and when taken judiciously its 
tonic effect is equal to, and in a great many instances 
better than, that of drugs. Exercise is the most nat¬ 
ural and best tonic one can take, and when the quantity 
and quality have been properly regulated, its salutary 
effects are of the greatest value. 

If exercise is benefiting the individual the body will 
feel the need for it, and the longer one remains inactive 
the more will this need be felt. When exercise of one’s 
body is greatly neglected there takes place in the human 
machine a great accumulation of reserve materials ; and 
from this accumulation there is also brought about a 
diminution of products which are necessary to maintain 
health. From these conditions there results an impov¬ 
erishment of the constitution. When we find a person 
of sedentary habits, we are almost sure to discover some 
complaint, because nothing leads more quickly to dis¬ 
ease than an absolute neglect of exercise. Most per¬ 
sons who have sedentary occupations suffer with obesity 
to a greater or less degree. If they were to take sys¬ 
tematic exercise and pay strict attention to their diet, 
cutting off all farinaceous foods, as well as those con¬ 
taining sugar, they could soon rid themselves of this 
condition. Moreover, they would not be likely to 


Exercise in General. 


*5 


suffer with gout as they grow older. The goutiness is 
caused by an insufficient combustion of the nitrogenous 
materials in the body and by a lack of exercise. 

The less one exercises the more susceptible will the 
constitution be to the poisonous effects of the waste 
materials, and the more quickly will these products 
accumulate. The more exercise one takes, within rea¬ 
son, the greater will the power of resistance be to the 
effects of these materials. 

General exercise is often productive of pain at first, 
which is due to the poisonous effect of the waste mate¬ 
rials ; but if the person exercising has the courage to 
continue his exercises for a week or so, pain will disap¬ 
pear, and will not return unless the exercises be omitted 
for a long period. Exercise in a general way tends to 
modify the constitution of those who take it, so that all 
the parts of the body perform their functions and 
perfect health results. The benefits of exercise are not 
the same in all cases because all constitutions are not 
alike, and great importance must be attached both to 
the quality and quantity of work. Some persons take 
exercise regardless of quality or quantity, and more 
harm follows than good. 

The quality should be such that it will strengthen 
the weak parts of the human motor, and the quantity 
should never be so great that it produces exhaustion. 
The effects that are produced upon the body by taking 
general exercise do not differ from those when exercise 
is localized, except in the matter of quantity. 


6 


Practical Training. 


For the benefit of those who take general exercises 
it may be well to tell them to be careful not to bring 
too sudden a strain upon the blood vessels, heart and 
lungs, lest a rupture may be caused. Ruptures have 
been caused by a disregard for this advice, and even 
ruptures of the heart itself have occurred when least 
expected.* “ A porter at Bordeaux had made a wager 
that he would lift a full hogshead. In the superhuman 
effort he made to raise this enormous burden his heart 
was ruptured and he dropped down dead.” 

By taking general exercises all the muscles in the 
body not only increase in size, but also in beauty of 
form. This is because the blood vessels carry more 
blood to them, thus ridding them of the products of 
dissimilation, at the same time aiding them in the assim¬ 
ilation of new material. Exercise in its general effects 
upon the heart and lungs strengthens these organs in 
precisely the same manner that muscles are strength¬ 
ened ; not only is the capacity of the lungs increased 
and the heart-beats made stronger, but both of these 
organs acquire a power of endurance much greater than 
they possessed prior to being influenced by general 
exercise. Persons who take general exercise never 
become deformed ; they are never troubled with narrow, 
hollow or “ chicken-breasted ” chests, their shoulders do 
not droop, their spines are straight, and they do not 
suffer so easily from fatigue as those who develop 
only special parts of the body. 


Fernand Le Grange, Physiology of Bodily Exercise, (p. 308.) 



Exercise in General. 


17 


Mental operations have a great deal to do with all 
exercises which are voluntary, and under no condition 
should a person who is suffering from brain overwork 
pursue a course of exercises which is voluntary. The 
exercises in such cases should always be involuntary, 
that the mind may not be called into action. When 
mental effort is required by an exercise, the brain 
becomes much heavier owing to the increased amount 
of blood sent there, and frequently great harm results 
because an absolute mental rest was needed. 

On the other hand, when an exercise is of an involun¬ 
tary nature, the blood is drawn from the brain to the 
part used, e. g., the upper or lower extremities, and in 
this way the brain receives a thorough rest; more¬ 
over, since it receives less blood, it also becomes cooler, 
because diminished combustion is the direct result of 
diminished blood supply, and since there is a reduction 
in temperature, the brain is less excitable. 

If we wish to strengthen the mind of an individual, 
voluntary exercises should be prescribed, and the exer¬ 
cises should be very intricate so as to demand a great 
deal of thought and analyzation. The more difficult a 
voluntary movement is, the greater will be the develop¬ 
ment of the mind. Care should be taken in dealing 
with intricate voluntary exercises, in order that the 
production of waste materials may not be excessive, and 
so affect the eliminating organs too greatly. 

It is a very easy matter to tell when the waste mate¬ 
rials are in excess, because the urine will present a 


18 Practical Training. 

turbidity giving a brick-red sediment. Should this con¬ 
dition continually exist, it is better to make the exercise 
milder or stop it. Usually the turbidity of the urine will 
disappear in a short time, from three or four days to 
two weeks, provided the exercise is taken daily, and the 
person exercising is not rheumatic ; even then it will 
become clear if exercise is continued for a longer time, 
unless leading to exhaustion. 

Variety of exercises does not fatigue a person so 
quickly as a single exercise. This is because one part 
of the body may be at rest while another is being exer¬ 
cised. When the heart and lungs are brought into 
action, as for example by running, then fatigue manifests 
itself very quickly. If little or no work be done by 
these organs more benefit results by changing from one 
kind of exercise to another than by continuing to use 
one group of muscles, and fatigue is less apt to be felt. 

After exercising there is need for repose, to ena¬ 
ble the body to reconstruct the parts that have been 
used. Many persons make the mistake of eating 
immediately after exercising, but in doing this there is 
danger of drawing too much blood from the muscles to 
the digestive organs. The muscles will not be thor¬ 
oughly reconstructed if too much blood be taken from 
them for the purpose of digesting food. At least an 
hour should intervene before any food is taken, and 
there is absolutely no need for taking food then, unless 
the exercise has been one requiring a great deal of 
endurance. 


Exercise in General. 


X 9 


If the period of rest be too short, the repair of the 
tissues will suffer greatly, and there will be too great 
retention of waste materials. For the hygienic care of 
the body the person who takes exercise should be very 
careful to adjust his time for exercise and rest, so that 
he may avoid all dangers brought about by insufficient 
repair and incomplete digestion. The amount of rest 
one should take after exercising is variable, and must 
be regulated by the effects it has upon the different 
parts of the body. If the exercise be gentle, then 
the period of rest will be short, because the neces¬ 
sary amount of repair is small; but when the exercise 
is violent or prolonged, the period of rest must be 
lengthened according to the severity of the exercise 
and its duration. Rest is very essential where a great 
abundance of waste materials is produced, especially so 
since these cause a great deal of pain to one unaccus¬ 
tomed to physical work. Pain will disappear very 
quickly when rest is taken ; this is very easily accounted 
for by the fact that, having ceased to exercise, the 
waste products are not produced in sufficient quantities 
to cause more pain. 

Rest is also very essential for the nerves throughout 
the body. They are subjected to a great deal of work 
during exercise, their fibres receive shocks, and there 
must be enough time intervening to allow the nervous 
tissue to repair itself just as muscular tissue is repaired. 
Rest also allows one to re-accumulate the energy which 
has been expended during the periods of exercise. The 


20 


Practical Training. 


most perfect rest is sound sleep. Lying upon one’s 
back for a time will be sufficient for most cases, and in 
a great many instances sitting upon a chair, bench or 
stool will suffice. 

Persons who exercise violently, frequently begin 
another exercise before allowing sufficient time for rest, 
and are compelled to cease during this second period 
because they learn that their judgment has been at 
fault. A good rule to be guided by, in all exercises 
which call for great endurance, such as running a mile 
or two very rapidly, or where the exercise is very vio¬ 
lent, is to allow at least an interval of a half to three- 
quarters of an hour after the heart-beats and respira¬ 
tions have returned to the normal. The time it will 
take these organs to return to the normal cannot be 
defined, for it varies greatly in different persons. One 
may usually allow from ten to twenty minutes. 

Where an exercise necessitates an extremely violent 
effort it is well to remember that the expenditure of 
energy takes place rapidly, and the effect cannot be 
sustained very long; therefore it is best to learn the art 
of concentrating all of the bodily powers so as to make 
them work as a unit in order that the best results may 
be attained. Good examples of the foregoing may be 
seen in athletes who wrestle, play football, row, box, 
run and walk. 

Persons who exercise regularly do not get tired 
easily, and they can stand a great amount of work be¬ 
fore fatigue overtakes them. The greatest predisposing 


Exercise in General. 


21 


cause of fatigue is inactivity. Too much rest makes 
men lazy ; they grow fat and are easily exhausted by 
exercise. The slightest exertion makes them so stiff 
that they can scarcely get out of bed the next morning. 
Frequently they are overtaken with a slight fever 
after exercising, which resembles either typhoid in its 
very early stage, or intermittent. The symptoms they 
have are as follows : appetite impaired or lost, irregu¬ 
lar impulse of heart, pallor of skin, headache, nerv¬ 
ousness, causing sleeplessness and slight fever; and if 
the exercise has been so violent that it has produced 
exhaustion, the throat becomes dry. Frequently there 
will be a slight cough which leads to bronchial or pul¬ 
monary complaint. If exercise be taken as it should, 
the following conditions will result : there will be in¬ 
crease in appetite, regularity of heart-impulse, increased 
pulmonary capacity, bright color of skin, increase in 
size and tone of muscles, increase in bodily weight, and 
sound sleep. 

All persons, when exercising, should remember that 
every movement of the body is simply a physical expres¬ 
sion of a nervous impression produced either by the brain 
or spinal cord, and in all voluntary movements the pri¬ 
mary impulse starts from the brain ; hence, movements 
develop not only physical but cerebral powers. If a 
person wishes to arrive at a healthful development of 
his body, he must begin with the primitive type of exer¬ 
cises and gradually advance in alphabetical order, just 
as a child does when it is taught to read. 


22 


Practical Training. 


A proper coordination of any movement depends 
upon a proper state of the mind ; hence, we see that if 
the mental faculties are not in a condition of stability, 
the body, as a whole, is not in harmonious accord with 
the mind. If an exercise is to be correctly performed, 
it must be based upon the temperament and charac¬ 
ter of the person who is about to perform it, so that 
all departments of his being will work in harmony. 
It is in this way alone that the human organism will 
become capable of perfect development, thus bringing 
its several parts into perfect harmony. 

There is a limit to the powers of every being upon 
earth, and with man it will be found that this limit is 
fixed by his bodily powers, as well as by his mental fac¬ 
ulties. If a movement be applied incorrectly, the fac¬ 
ulty of an individual will not infrequently be perverted, 
and therefore such a movement is injurious and detri¬ 
mental to symmetrical development. Healthful power 
is due to a simultaneous action of all parts of the body. 
From this we observe that the terms physical force and 
perfect health are correlative, since both depend upon 
harmony among all parts of the human organism. 

If one will begin with the simplest kind of exercise 
and gradually advance, in regular progression, he will 
be able, in due time, to accomplish feats that were 
impossible at first, and without danger of injuring his 
constitution, because he will acquire an instinctive 
knowledge of what he is capable of doing. Ignorance 
of this is a frequent cause of disease. 


Exercise in General. 


23 


If we classify the different phenomena that take place 
in our bodies, we may put them under three heads— 
mechanical, chemic and dynamic. The first include cir¬ 
culation, deglutition, mastication and respiration ; the 
second, nutrition, sanguification, secretion, excretion and 
assimilation, and the last are merely evidences of the 
mind which we see in our intellectual and moral powers. 
Every vital act, no matter how small or how great, is 
produced under the combined influence of these proc¬ 
esses, and it is by their conjoint action that a perfect 
organization characterizes itself; moreover, when this 
action is disturbed, an alteration in functions takes 
place, and this, in nearly every case, is followed by 
disease. 

If the harmony of any one part be deranged it may 
be re-established by increasing the vital activity of the 
part, this being accomplished more perfectly by exciting 
the blood current by exercise, than in any other way, 
thus supplying a natural means which is physiologic in 
nature, instead of using drugs that are therapeutic in 
their nature, and used to change pathologic to physio¬ 
logic conditions. 

Many persons do not care to be shown a series 
of free movements, because these movements are so 
simple ; but it is frequently from their simplicity that 
the good is derived. Exercises can be prescribed which 
will not only strengthen and develop the weak parts, 
but which also correct the worst kinds of deformities. 
Hundreds of persons know how hard the struggle for 


24 


Practical Training. 


life is, how many hardships, trials, disappointments and 
a thousand and one other things each individual is con¬ 
stantly subjected to : hence, what is necessary? Health. 
This is the key to all success ; and without this, man’s 
accomplishments are far from what they should be. 

As we grow older we find our struggle for knowl¬ 
edge and existence grows harder and harder, we have 
to encounter many things that test our brains beyond 
their limit, we become worried, the stimulation to suc¬ 
ceed is too great, we are apt to work too long, sleep too 
little, allow little or no time for our meals, our frames 
easily become tired, and finally our nervous system, no 
longer able to supply us with impulses, gives way, and 
we find disease has overtaken us. Is not the remedy 
for this very simple, when one realizes that disease 
could have been avoided by physical exercise properly 
indulged in ? Exercise seeks to establish a proper 
balance between mind and body. Exercise is not for 
the purpose of attaining strength to accomplish great 
feats, but aims at bringing the whole body into such 
perfect symmetry and harmony that each person may 
pursue his calling with pleasure and usefulness to all. 

There are thousands of men, uncomplaining, eager, 
earnest and faithful, who are following their vocation, 
suffering with low spirits, languor, pain, fatigue, fearing 
lest their nervous system will give way, and in fact 
with their whole body impoverished, when good health 
easily could have been possessed by a little careful and 
well-regulated exercise. 


Exercise in General. 


2 5 


One must not mistake strength for health ; they are 
often used as interchangeable terms, yet they are not 
the same ; a person may be healthy and lack strength, or 
may be strong and not possess health. Strength may 
be manifested by one system of the body ; e. g., nervous, 
muscular, circulatory, digestive or osseous. There are 
many consumptives who have great muscular strength, 
yet they do not possess health. Health is freedom from 
disease, or still better as Dr. Richardson puts it, “ per¬ 
fect organization in perfect action.” 

Too often men and boys seek to gain strength with¬ 
out the slightest regard for their health, and in so doing 
permanently injure their constitutions. Most men seem 
to think the development of the body in a special way 
is all that is needed. Frequently we see a man or boy 
with large arms and chest, while his legs seem scarcely 
able to support his body, so poorly are they developed. 
There is a weakness in one part of the body, while in 
the other there is an excess of strength ; consequently 
local exercise does not yield health, because it strength¬ 
ens one part at the expense of another. This teaches us 
to be general in our exercises, and not to specialize. 

The life work of every human being requires that 
every part of that being should be in the best possible 
condition. There is no occupation, no state in which 
one may place himself, no position in life, in which a 
well-cultivated body will not be of extreme value. 
Every day men falter, not because they are slaves to 
their calling, but because they never exercise. Would 


26 


Practical Training. 


it not have been better to have acquired a little bodily 
stamina and thus have been able to finish the work they 
began, than to have left it to another ? 

Some argue that a healthy, vigorous body, and an 
active, bright intellect are incompatible. Such is not 
the case. Science long ago confirmed the fact that the 
body assists the brain. “ That the intellect can rarely 
attain, or if it already possesses, can rarely long retain a 
commanding height when the bodily functions are im¬ 
paired ; that the body itself will be at its best and most 
worthy condition when its claims are most fully shared 
by mental occupations, and that the healthy condition 
of the mind, produced by sufficient and natural employ¬ 
ment, will react most favorably upon the body, can 
never be doubted for a moment; yet we continually 
find the one warring upon the other. We shall find the 
reason for this in the overlooking of the laws which 
govern both body and mind. The mind acts through a 
material organ—the brain—upon which it is entirely 
dependent, and which, in common with the other organs 
of the body, is subject to constant decay and constant 
renewal from the same vital fluid; these processes 
being accelerated and its strength and vigor conse¬ 
quently augmented in proportion to its activity. But 
in common with other organs also, if this activity is 
carried beyond certain limits, its waste exceeds nutri¬ 
tion, its strength gives place to weakness. The mind 
then, is dependent upon the blood for its material 
support, and its healthy action is dependent on its 


Exercise in General. 


27 


receiving an adequate supply of healthy blood. More¬ 
over, the organ of the mind being subject to the 
same laws as other organs, requires similar alterna¬ 
tions of rest and action to maintain it in its natural 
state of efficiency ; and if either of these states be defi¬ 
cient or in excess, the brain, and consequently the mind, 
will deteriorate. If, therefore, the cultivation or exer¬ 
cise of the mind be neglected, it will, of necessity, be 
weakened in precisely the same manner as the other 
organs are weakened by insufficient use, will deteriorate 
both in strength and vigor and the power of enduring 
fatigue. If, on the other hand, the brain’s exercise be 
excessive, beyond the point where the nutrition equals 
the waste, it will suffer in the same way and to the same 
extent that other organs would do.” (MacLaren.)* 

The brain should never be overworked, nor should 
the body be subjected to such an abuse. Strive to seek 
moderation in all things, at the same time remembering 
that there is a limit to mental and physical capacity. 
By keeping within certain limits it is possible to reach 
a point of activity, vigor and self-application, which 
will impart to the body the power of enduring work 
with the greatest ease. Until middle life, the older we 
grow the greater will be the endurance of the body to 
withstand physical and mental fatigue, because it will 
possess a superfluous amount of health and energy. 

As long as the mind and body are healthy, just so 
long will they contribute to the health of each other. 


* Archibald MacLaren, Physical Education, (p. 27.) 



28 


Practical Training. 


The man who possesses the best natural tonic in the 
world—a clear conscience—never suffers from physical 
exercise when properly taken. It is the brain worry 
and dissipation that kill, not the bodily wear. 

Persons who have never taken systematic exercise 
should begin with the simplest kinds of exercise, such 
as free movements and calisthenics. After following 
a course in these for about six months, exercising daily 
(Sunday excepted), they may take up light gymnastics, 
and follow these for a year or a year and a half, after 
which heavy gymnastics may be indulged in. Should 
the strength of constitution not be sufficient to take up 
some of the more advanced and severe exercises, then 
it is best never to take any kind of exercise except in a 
mild form. Keeping within the dictates of reason is a 
very good rule to go by, especially when an individual 
is inclined to exercise too severely. 

Emulation often crops out among persons who take 
exercise, especially among members of the different 
gymnasiums throughout the United States and Europe. 
One or more members frequently will endeavor to per¬ 
form a feat that their teacher has shown them, and 
in so doing will receive an injury which may weaken 
the constitution for life. The feats that usually cause 
trouble should never be undertaken, unless there has 
been a long apprenticeship. 

The young men and boys who go to the gymnasium 
—I mean those under twenty-one years of age—are the 
ones who suffer most. They are very fond of displaying 


Exercise in General. 


29 


their strength, and frequently they try to accomplish 
a feat far beyond their strength, simply because they 
try to accomplish something a man five or ten years 
their senior does, in order to be put on a par with him 
physically. 

Too many men and boys exercise for strength and 
not for health ; they try to see how many times they 
can “ chin ” themselves at the horizontal bar, or how 
often they can “dip'’ upon the parallel bars, utterly 
regardless of the effect it is going to have upon their 
constitution, and by so doing frequently lay the founda¬ 
tion of an incurable disease. 

Young men should be especially careful in exercising 
until they are of age, because growth and development 
take place so rapidly between fourteen and twenty-one, 
that a great deal of energy is required for these proc¬ 
esses alone. Many a boy grows from two to six inches 
between puberty and manhood, and frequently he will 
outgrow his strength. After he is twenty-one he will 
begin to fill out, and by the time he is twenty-three or 
four he finds he has gained from twenty to forty pounds, 
and in some cases even more. 

It is true some persons are well developed when they 
are born ; but we shall find a reason for this by making 
inquiry into their family history. Their parents and 
grand-parents have been accustomed to taking exercise 
all their life ; hence it is no wonder some children are 
robust and healthy. This is far from what is found in 
the great majority of cases; and instead, the offspring 


30 


Practical Training. 


has been born of parents who never exercise, and in 
addition, in many instances, there is an hereditary taint. 
These are the children and young- men and women who 
need especially to be guided by medical advice and a 
competent instructor. 

Parents should not be surprised, when no guidance 
is sought, if their children suffer from the effects of 
overwork, exhaustion, and misapplied exercises, which 
lead to weakness, disease and deformity. Parents 
should be just as particular about their offspring’s 
physical condition as they are about its mental train¬ 
ing. Let a parent once get the idea that his child 
is not receiving the mental training it should in the 
school it attends, and quickly enough will that child be 
sent to another school. Such is not the case when the 
children attend a gymnasium. They usually do what the3^ 
please, choose their own exercise, take as much as they 
like and as often as they wish, without any medical advice. 
Is it surprising, after a short period — say two or three 
months—to find these children showing signs of chronic 
fatigue and becoming nervous, their skin growing paler 
and paler, and instead of becoming stronger, as they 
should if the exercise were properly prescribed, they 
grow weaker and weaker, dark rings manifest themselves 
about their eyes, appetite is poor, food badly assimi¬ 
lated, the children are restless, sleep is disturbed, and 
finally typhoid fever, lung trouble, wasting of muscular 
tissue, nervousness and deformities follow ? Parents 
can never be too careful in making a selection, because 


Exercise in General. 


3i 


in the greater number of gymnasiums and schools for 
physical culture there is no medical advice given and 
the instructors are empirics. 

Children rarely inherit a perfectly erect, symmet¬ 
rical, graceful physique. This is because, for genera¬ 
tions, the muscular system of mankind has been neg¬ 
lected, while mental occupations and society consume 
life. 

Is it not the duty of parents to see that their 
children shall possess a muscular and nervous system 
which shall enable them successfully to cope with the 
many problems of life they are sure to encounter as 
they grow up and go out into the world to fight their 
own battles ? The drooping shoulders, the defective 
walk, the narrow chest, the pale countenance, the weak 
nervous system, the poor digestion, the rheumatic joints, 
the crooked spine, the deformed ribs, the weak lungs 
and heart, are, in many instances, directly traceable to 
an undeveloped and weak muscular system. 

Many persons do exercise some muscles, and a fair 
appetite and comfortable sleep follow, the final result 
being a satisfied feeling as to the muscles employed ; 
but this sort of work accomplishes nothing more than a 
deformity, because a few groups of muscles will be over¬ 
developed, while others are being weakened, and if the 
exercise has used the muscles of one’s back, we find as 
an ultimate result that the chest has been actually con¬ 
tracted. There is less room for the heart and lungs 
than there was in the beginning, and this frequently 


3 2 


Practical Training. 


predisposes one to disease of these organs. Could the 
young men, women and children of the present genera¬ 
tion have inherited strong physiques, thousands of them 
would not know what headaches, poor nerves, weak 
lungs and irregular heart-impulses are, and would never 
have been troubled with the diseases and deformities I 
have already mentioned. 

Is there one of us who does not know of scores of 
men, women and children whose very expression and 
pale face point to a poor physique and an absolute want 
of nervous and muscular stamina ; who are always pale, 
always tired, never gain a pound of flesh, and who drag 
through their daily work, only too glad when bedtime 
has arrived — and all this due to a lack of exercise 
accompanied by the proper medical advice ? Is it sur¬ 
prising that the doctor meets with so many cases of 
nervous -exhaustion which lead to a shattered condition 
of every part of the body ? 

More than one characteristic is inherited from one 
parent or the other, and frequently the temperament, 
the color of the eyes, the walk of the father, the voice 
of the mother, her mental capacity and disposition crop 
out in the child. One child will inherit the constitution 
of the father, who is strong and robust, while another 
in the same family will inherit that of the mother, 
who is weak and delicate. Now to these predispo¬ 
sitions to disease, add want of exercise, bad air, poor 
ventilation, unwholesome food, eating rapidly, poor mas¬ 
tication, lack of bodily care in clothing and bathing, 


Exercise in General. 


33 


and is there any cause for surprise when disease over¬ 
takes the child ? 

Ask any comparatively healthy man or woman, boy 
or girl, to run a mile or two, and how many would be 
able to do it ? Not one in a thousand. And why ? Be¬ 
cause they do not possess enough muscular stamina in 
conjunction with a well-developed pair of lungs and a 
strong heart. 

Children who have been born of consumptive parents 
may be so benefited by exercise that they will enjoy a 
happy life ; and also be useful and capable of taking 
care of themselves as they go through life without ever 
being overtaken by the disease, if exercise be rightly 
prescribed. These cases should be kept out in the open 
air as much as possible ; too much study should not be 
indulged in, exercise should be under the care of a 
competent teacher and the guidance of a physician, and 
the strictest attention should be paid to every law of 
hygiene. The same treatment will also apply to all 
persons who inherit diseased or weak hearts and nerv¬ 
ous troubles, as well as those suffering from dyspepsia, 
rheumatism, gout, and an impoverished condition of 
their blood. 

If parents only knew how greatly systematic exer¬ 
cise would protect them as well as their children from 
ill-health, they would consult their physician more fre¬ 
quently, and then exercise as well as compel their chil¬ 
dren to care for their own bodies ; but it is not until they 
find disease or deformity overtaking their child that 


34 


Practical Training. 


they go to the doctor, only to be told that all the trouble 
might have been avoided. 

Think of the vast numbers of fathers and mothers 
who have spent thousands upon thousands of dollars in 
educating their children mentally, but who never devote 
a single day to their offspring’s physical training. Alas, 
when the time arrives for these children to become 
bread-winners, or shortly after, parents begin to see the 
mistake, because their children cannot do the work 
required of them. 

Just here may be mentioned a very sad case. The 
parents were both lacking in bodily development, but 
were far above the average mentally. The boy was sent 
to school, and inheriting a good mind from both parents, 
was naturally fond of study. While at school he stood 
first in his class, but took almost no exercise from the age 
of five or six until his death. After going through school 
and doing remarkably well he went to college and con¬ 
tinued to be a most ardent student, the result being that 
he led his class. During this time his mind was receiv¬ 
ing a superabundance of work, and his body was being 
neglected, almost entirely, with the result of giving him 
an extremely poor and weak physique. When he was 
graduated from college, he took up the study of medi¬ 
cine, and for the first two years also led his class, but as 
he entered upon his third and last year he began to suffer 
from the prolonged effects of the mental strain he had 
kept up during all of his lifetime. Toward the close 
of the year he began to fail rapidly, but by ceasing his 


Exercise in General. 


35 


studies for a short period recuperated sufficiently to 
pass his final examinations, not however at the head 
of his class. He then went abroad for his health, and 
seemed to be benefited a little. After his return he 
took up the practice of medicine, but the work soon 
began to tell upon him and he had to give it up. Two 
years after this he died. A good many more cases of 
the same kind could be mentioned. 

Look to it that the body is properly cared for, so 
that your hopes for your own child may not be shattered. 
Parents naturally feel complimented when told that 
their children are bright, and especially so when the 
child stands at the head of his or her class in school 
or college. You may realize too late that your child’s 
muscular stamina has been sadly neglected, or what is 
still worse, that disease has attacked the child’s phy¬ 
sique, and impaired its career. 

If your child is troubled with any nervous disease, 
heart, lung, or other complaint, for which you have 
consulted your physician, and he has advised you to 
have your child take systematic exercise, have it done 
under his direction, and put the child under a person 
who is thoroughly competent to instruct it in the kind 
and quantity of exercise your physician has prescribed. 
Consult the physician whenever it is necessary for the 
welfare of the child. Few parents know that exercises 
are capable of producing bodily weaknesses, diseases 
and deformities, as well as strengthening the body, cur¬ 
ing the diseases, and correcting the deformities. Such 


36 Practical Training. 

weaknesses and diseases are the result of overwork of 
one or more parts of the body, while the deformities 
are often due to using the muscles ignorantly. 

I have seen many and many a person whose chest 
was narrow and contracted use a chest-weight incor¬ 
rectly by standing with his back to the apparatus, exer¬ 
cising the muscles of the chest, when he should have 
faced the apparatus so as to use the muscles of the 
back. This is simply one instance of hundreds of cases 
of misapplied muscular action. 



CHAPTER II. 


STIFFNESS AND ITS TREATMENT. 

E VERY person who is unaccustomed to exercise 
suffers in a greater or less degree from stiffness 
when the work has been violent, and many persons 
are the victims of stiffness although the exercise has 
been extremely gentle. Those who exercise regularly 
never know what stiffness means. Severe stiffness is 
very painful, and is the direct result of taking violent 
exercise without due preparation. It may last from 
one to two weeks, and sometimes is the cause of boils 
which are the result of the breaking down of muscular 
tissue with subsequent suppuration. This condition of 
affairs is brought about by the shocks the muscular 
fibres receive when they have not been exercised 
properly. 

Stiffness may be so intense that it will produce the 
following effects : headache, pain, diminished muscular 
power, nervousness, restlessness and loss of appetite, 
accompanied by a dry throat, coated tongue, dry skin, 
slight fever and sleeplessness. These effects disappear 
gradually, and during this time there is an extreme 
antipathy to taking any exercise. Stiffness in its milder 


3» 


Practical Training. 


forms does not affect the body so severely. Nothing 
manifests itself beyond a slight pain in the muscles, 
which passes off in a short time and is hardly noticed. 

It may also be either local or general, according to 
the parts of the body used. The man who wrestles, 
plays football or baseball, when not prepared by train¬ 
ing, suffers from general stiffness, because he uses 
so many groups of muscles. When a man walks five 
or ten miles stiffness is felt in the legs, and perhaps 
the back, and is localized. 

Stiffness never manifests itself immediately after 
exercise ; in fact it does not appear until some time 
after the muscles have been exercised, usually being 
felt from one to twenty-four hours afterward. The 
ratio of stiffness to fatigue is not the same in every case, 
and an exercise that will cause extreme stiffness in one 
person may not have the slightest effect upon another. 
This is to be explained by the difference in strength of 
the constitutions. The condition of the individual is 
the factor that regulates the degree of stiffness. 

According to books on physiology, stiffness is due to 
the production of lactic acid in combination with the 
elements of flesh, this combination being called sarco- 
lactic acid. When there is an excess of this acid the 
muscular contractions are diminished, and the muscles 
do not regain their normal contracting power until the 
acid is eliminated. 

An explanation for stiffness which does not coincide 
with physiological views is that of Le Grange. “ Stiff- 


Stiffness and its Treatment. 


39 

ness is due to the shocks the muscular fibres receive 
as the muscles are exercised.” This would not account, 
however, for the fact that stiffness occurs when the 
exercise has been so moderate both in quality and 
quantity that the muscles practically have received no 
shocks, or when stiffness follows a cold shower-bath 
no exercise having been taken. 

Persons who suffer from stiffness frequently find the 
degree of stiffness affecting a group of tendons more 
than the fleshy parts of muscles ; sometimes the reverse 
condition will manifest itself. I have had persons tell 
me that the elasticity of the skin directly over the 
stiff muscles was affected. It is possible that such may 
have been the case, and that the skin may have suffered 
from the poisonous effects of some of the products of 
dissimilation. 

Excessive exercise is not only capable of producing 
a very severe degree of stiffness, but it may also affect 
the power the nerves possess of transmitting impulses 
to the muscles ; because the nerves suffer from the effects 
of the same poisonous substances that diminish muscular 
contractility, the sensation being one of pain when the 
athlete endeavors to use a number of stiff muscles, 
making its effect felt upon will power, and in this way 
influencing the brain of the individual to a certain 
degree. 

Every one who has ever suffered from a severe 
degree of stiffness knows perfectly the amount of will 
power he was forced to use in order to overcome the 


40 


Practical Training. 


pain, and how often this must be repeated so as to get 
the stiffness to wear off. Many persons have endeavored 
to drive stiffness away by exercise, but have failed 
simply because they had not the courage to endure the 
extreme pain caused by becoming more stiff for a few 
days. Had they been determined enough they would 
have mastered the situation, and after a few more days 
the stiffness would have diminished, finally disappearing, 
thus fitting the individual for the severest and most 
violent exercises without exposing him to the least 
danger of becoming stiff thereafter. 

My own experience with stiffness may serve to 
explain the topic of this chapter in a measure. I well 
remember the first time I ever ran on my toes. I was 
surprised to find how much easier it was to run this 
way than on the flat of my foot, how much farther I 
could stride, and the spring I could get with much 
less exertion. After completing the distance I took 
my usual bath and received a good rub. It was in the 
afternoon. The next morning upon rising I found the 
calves of my legs so stiff I could scarcely walk. Instead 
of getting out of bed immediately, I began to rub the 
stiffened calves because I had not the will power to get 
up and walk. After rubbing for some ten or fifteen 
minutes I managed to relieve the muscles of some of 
the trouble, and finally arose and dressed. I continued 
to run upon my toes daily, and for about a week I 
suffered. After that time I could run upon my toes 
without experiencing the slightest discomfort. 


Stiffness and its Treatment. 41 

For the benefit of those who suffer from the same 
severe degree of stiffness, let me say that I hope you 
will persist in the exercise, no matter what it may be, 
until your muscles have been so well trained that no 
degree of exercise will make you stiff. 

Local stiffness frequently manifests itself in a 
neighboring group of muscles, which have not been 
used. Often a person will exercise his legs, doing little 
or no work with his back, and his back will be as 
stiff as his legs, if not more so. There is need of an 
explanation for this, and we shall find it is made clear 
by the fact that when the legs are exercised poisonous 
products are produced, which are taken up by the 
blood vessels, and thus find their way to other mus¬ 
cles before being eliminated by the different organs 
of excretion. These products are composed for the 
most part of chemical substances known as urates 
and uric acid. There has been a great deal of differ¬ 
ence of opinion in regard to the production of these 
waste materials by exercise, some asserting that exer¬ 
cise increases the deposits of urates, while others say it 
diminishes them.* Guyon and Lecorch6 say the depos¬ 
its are increased, while Bronchard and Bedard deny it. 
The writer has found an increase in these deposits after 
exercise, especially if the examination were made from 
four to six hours after training. In making th's state¬ 
ment I am dealing with persons who are healthy, not 
with those who may have some hereditary taint, which 


* Le Grange’s Physiology of Bodily Exercise, (p. 118.) 



42 


Practical Training. 


leads to rheumatism, gout, and nervousness. When 
stiffness is very slight the urine will show little or no 
brick-red sediment; but if it be severe, then the urine 
will contain this in excess, and it will often be some 
days before it clears up by ridding itself of the poison¬ 
ous substances. The condition of one’s system has a 
great deal to do with the amount of urates and uric 
acid, some persons being very susceptible to their 
poisonous effects, while others seem to have a perfect 
immunity to them. At all events it is better to take 
exercise slowly and in small amounts, and exercise a 
little each day, so as to avoid the unpleasant and painful 
effects of stiffness which are sure to follow when too 
much exercise is taken. 

It may be put down as an infallible rule that 
exercise increases the power of resistance the muscles 
possess in regard to stiffness, while abstaining from 
exercise makes the susceptibility of the muscles to 
stiffness greater. 

Nervous worry and excitement will produce an 
excessive production of these products of decomposi¬ 
tion ; therefore the athlete who trains will have a great 
advantage over his adversar}^ if he can keep cool, and 
he will not subject his nervous system to the bad effects 
of these substances. 

Violent exercise in a person unaccustomed to exer¬ 
cise always leaves a great amount of uric acid in 
the blood, which makes itself felt by poisoning the 
surrounding tissues. 


Stiffness and its Treatment. 


43 


The treatment of stiffness is by no means a thing to 
be overlooked, and, moreover, I may say that there is a 
right way and a wrong way to do this; a scientific 
way based upon medical knowledge and an unscien¬ 
tific way based upon ignorance and experimentation. 
Stiffness, when treated from a medical standpoint, can 
be easily overcome and with much benefit to the 
individual; but when treated unskillfully is liable to 
be productive of bad results. The application of 
scientific rubbing, which is one means of treating 
stiffness, will be found in the chapter on that subject. 
Men who suffer from stiffness are often rubbed too 
hard, too long and in the wrong way by trainers, who 
know absolutely nothing about massage, physiology 
or anatomy; and in addition they use some rubbing 
stuff which is often more productive of harm than good. 
Further, these men will frequently rub the skin so hard 
that it becomes sore from the shocks it receives, and 
moreover, leave different parts of the body suffering 
with a raw surface. Many trainers imagine that a man 
must be rubbed hard in order to make the skin and 
muscles tough ; in fact, I have had them tell me so 
more than once. It is far from beneficial and pleasant 
to have one of these men rub you so hard that a raw 
surface is the result, and afterward apply some rubbing 
stuff which is very painful and which in extreme cases 
is so irritating that you cannot stand its application. 

Now and then a trainer is met with who has good 
judgment, and is fully aware of the danger of too much 


44 


Practical Training. 


rubbing and spurious rubbing stuffs ; and this is the 
man who always accomplishes a great deal of good on 
behalf of the men that he is training. 

When suffering from stiffness, never allow a person 
to rub you who transmits unpleasant sensations to you ; 
also see that his hands are clean before he begins his 
work. Filthy hands are often the means of communi¬ 
cating disease, and are far from pleasant to a man who 
has been accustomed to cleanliness. 

Trainers will tell you they have a panacea for stiff¬ 
ness, and that their rubbing mixture is by far the best 
to be had. My advice to you is to beware lest it do 
more harm than good. All rubbing mixtures should 
be based upon medical knowledge, and any mixture 
that is not, is worse than none at all, since in the latter 
case no harm can result. For general purposes plain 
alcohol, witch hazel, or whiskey, is as good as any. 
vShould there be a great deal of pain accompanying the 
stiffness, then one may use chloroform liniment. If 
the part has a sluggish circulation, use a stimulating 
liniment made with camphor or tincture of aconite. 
Should the case be a mild one, soap liniment will 
answer the purpose ; either warm or cold water may 
also be used. It is more than likely that the good 
results obtained from the use of water are due more to 
the rubbing than to the water. When using rubbing 
fluids care should be taken, after the part has been 
moistened, not to rub too hard as the part becomes 
drier and drier. In this way the rubber will not cause 


Stiffness and its Treatment. 45 

the athlete pain by having the hair upon his limbs, 
back, or chest stick to his trainer’s hands. Athletes 
have suffered from the discomfort of this, and should 
any of my readers ever have the same experience, the 
unpleasantness may be avoided by telling the trainer 
to rub more gently as the part becomes drier. Before 
being rubbed pain may be greatly relieved by the appli¬ 
cation of hot water ; this however is only necessary in 
extreme cases, and I shall speak more of it in detail in 
the chapter upon baths and bathing. 

A good, thorough rub once a day is usually sufficient 
for those who exercise, and the best time to be rubbed is 
shortly after exercising. It is a good plan to give the 
athlete a gentle rub just before exercising, because it 
warms the body sufficiently to enable the muscles to act 
to a much better advantage. When stiff, a rub just be¬ 
fore retiring will be of some benefit and should never be 
omitted until the stiffness has disappeared, and even then 
there may be found persons who prefer to be rubbed 
before retiring. The best way to regulate the number 
of rubs and their duration is according to the effects they 
have upon the body. If they have a stimulating effect 
and are never followed by depressions, then two or three 
a day will not be productive of bad results. Should the 
reverse be the result, then one rub a day or even every 
other day will suffice. The time it takes a good trainer 
to rub an athlete well is about twenty minutes to a half 
hour at first, say for the first week ; after this, from ten 
to fifteen minutes will be sufficient. 


4 6 


Practical Training. 


The athlete should, after receiving his treatment for 
stiffness, invariably be thoroughly dried in order that 
he may not expose himself to the danger of taking 
cold. This I have known to happen to more than one 
athlete, simply because he had been neglected. 

Should stiffness remain in one or more parts of the 
body after receiving the proper treatment, it is best to 
consult a physician, because rheumatism, a rupture of a 
tendon or some of the muscular fibres may be mistaken 
for stiffness. In such a case careful medical and sur¬ 
gical care is needed, because no amount of rubbing will 
cure such a condition. Many first-class athletes allow 
minor complaints to run into major troubles and thus 
ruin their muscles for life, when if they had consulted a 
physician such would not have been the case. 

Stiffness of tendons does not disappear so quickly 
as stiffness of muscles ; more care should be given to 
the former, so that an additional trouble may not find 
its way to the covering of the bone by which the tendon 
is indirectly attached to it. Should such a condition 
occur, then the athlete will find himself in for a siege 
of trouble, and may be overtaken with bone disease 
through his own carelessness. 

When a person has exercised so severely that the 
pain resulting from stiffness is excruciating, further 
exercise should be discontinued and a warm or even 
hot bath taken until the pain has been greatly relieved, 
the bath being repeated daily until the stiffness has 
disappeared. If exercise is begun after this and the 


Stiffness and its Treatment. 


47 


stiffness returns, then the same plan must be adopted ; 
but it is a rare thing for such a condition of affairs to 
present itself a second time. 

Under no conditions should a person exercise when 
stiff, to such a degree that an abscess of the muscles 
follows. This condition only presents itself in extreme 
cases, and should it occur the best and quickest way to 
get rid of it is to rest and have the abscess properly 
treated. 

Novices must use their judgment when taking 
exercise, and be especially careful to take small 
amounts at first, gradually increasing the amount. In 
this way they will not only avoid severe stiffness, but 
will also eliminate the danger of rupturing a tendon or 
some of the surrounding or adjacent tissue. 

It is impossible to avoid stiffness absolutely when 
training for the first time, unless one has had some 
general exercise during previous years, and even then a 
slight degree of stiffness is liable to make itself felt. 
The more severe degrees of stiffness, however, will 
never be felt if a little care be taken, and this more 
than compensates for the time spent in taking exercise 
in small and moderate amounts. 

In order that athletes may be impressed with the 
importance of the treatment of stiffness and avoid 
its unpleasant effects, I will repeat the most essential 
points. In the first place a good, hot bath will take 
away the pain and soreness of the muscles. Rubbing 
is another factor that plays no small part in relieving 

4 


4 8 


Practical Training. 


the muscles of their stiffened condition. The applica¬ 
tion of such liquids as alcohol, whisky, witch hazel, 
fusel oil, olive oil, and water with a little ammonia in it, 
all tend to add great comfort, when properly used, to the 
individual whose muscles suffer from a stiffened con¬ 
dition. A teaspoonful or two of any of the above may 
be poured into the hand of the trainer who rubs you 
and applied to the part, after which a given amount of 
rubbing is done until the part becomes perfectly dry. 
This should be repeated at least once, and if necessary 
twice. If necessary, every part of the body should 
receive the same treatment, in order to keep every 
muscle in its best possible condition. Lastly, be sure 
that the body is perfectly dry and the skin in a glow 
before dressing. In taking these precautions a cold 
will often be avoided, which might follow when the 
foregoing course is neglected. For drying the skin 
thoroughly, flesh gloves and towels, either smooth or 
rough, may be used. 





CHAPTER III. 


BATHING. 



HE question of taking a bath after exercise or 


I training is of no small importance, and frequent¬ 
ly harm results because some small point has been 
neglected. One time the water will be too cold, thus 
producing too great a shock ; another, the bather will 
remain in the bath too long ; in a third instance, the 
bath is of the wrong kind ; and, lastly, the individual 
takes too many baths. 

There is no iron-clad rule in reference to bathing. 
Some persons can bathe three or four times a day, 
while others are able to bathe but once a day, or every 
other day. One person may prefer a cold shower 
bath ; another, a lukewarm bath ; a third, a plunge 
bath ; a fourth, a douche bath ; a fifth, a sponge bath, 
and a sixth, a steam bath. 

The best rule to be guided by is to take the bath or 
baths one has been accustomed to all his life. Never 
be guided by the advice of a friend in regard to the 
kind of a bath you are to take, because it may do you 
more harm than good. I am acquainted with a person 
who was advised to take a very cold shower bath by a 


So 


Practical Training. 


friend, who had been greatly benefited by this kind of 
bath. The person who was advised was of a nervous 
temperament, but had a fair strength of constitution, 
yet immediately after stepping under the shower he 
received such a tremendous shock that unconsciousness 
resulted. A physician was summoned, and found it 
necessary, in order to overcome the shock, to give elec¬ 
tricity, apply hot-water bags to the spine, sides of chest, 
limbs and feet, and administer drugs hypodermically, 
working with the patient for two hours before over¬ 
coming the shock. This is an extreme case, but illus¬ 
trates fully how careful persons should be when taking 
a kind of bath that they have never taken in their 
whole lifetime. 

One bath a day should be sufficient for those who 
exercise, and it should be taken shortly after exercising. 
Should this be too enervating, then a bath every other 
day, or every third day, may be taken. 

It may be well to enumerate baths in general, and 
then consider them in detail. They are cold baths of 
various kinds, such as the plunge bath, shower bath, 
douche bath, sponge bath and needle bath; warm baths, 
hot baths and steam baths ; Turkish, Russian and medi¬ 
cated baths. 

Probably the most frequently used of all these 
baths for ordinary purposes is the cold shower bath. 
That good results follow a cold shower bath can not 
be denied ; but equally bad results follow when one's 
strength of constitution is too weak to stand the sudden 


Bathing. 


5i 


shock I have already referred to. The manner in which 
a cold bath accomplishes its beneficial effects is by 
flushing the internal organs and nerve centres with an 
additional quantity of blood, at the same time driving 
the blood, in a measure, from the skin and muscles, 
thus giving them a temporary rest, by diminishing the 
amount of oxidation in these tissues. Bathers must not 
endure the temperature of a cold bath too long, in order 
that the body may not receive too great a chill exter¬ 
nally, while the internal organs are being too greatly 
congested. From half a minute to two or three minutes 
is long enough for any one to remain in a cold bath, no 
matter what the nature of that bath may be, whether 
douche, shower or plunge. After coming out of a cold 
bath the skin should be thoroughly dried, paying especial 
attention to the spaces between the fingers, toes, backs 
of the ears, and under the armpits, so as to avoid any 
danger of taking cold. After drying the body in this 
manner the skin should be thoroughly rubbed, either 
with a rough towel, flesh brushes, or the hands, until it 
is in a glow ; then apply pure alcohol all over the body, 
and rub until dry. Those who follow this method will 
not run any risk of catching cold, and will always find 
their skin in fine condition. This process of drying, 
rubbing, and the use of alcohol so tones up the skin 
and opens the pores that it returns to its normal con¬ 
dition ; while if the body simply be dried without rub¬ 
bing, and alcohol applied, the pores are liable to retain 
enough chilled perspiration to produce a severe cold. 


52 


Practical Training. 


During my own experience of training, which 
extended over a period of ten years, I suffered from 
the neglect of this more than once. Moreover, I have 
known and seen dozens of similar cases. 

Persons should not use all sorts of rubbing fluids 
after bathing, but should content themselves with alco¬ 
hol. It is the best one to use ordinarily, and will 
answer the purpose in most cases. It has a stimu¬ 
lating effect upon the skin, and never clogs the pores 
as do many other rubbing fluids. When the case is an 
extraordinary one, do not use a rubbing fluid that 
has been recommended by some kind friend, but go to 
a physician and get him to prescribe the proper lini¬ 
ment or lotion. Never use any fluid that will affect 
the skin so greatly as to make it raw and irritate the 
flesh. This mistake has been made more than once 
by applying something that was entirely too strong. 
Additional rubbing fluids are witch hazel or Pond’s 
Extract, weak ammonia water, whiskey, whiskey and 
rock salt, weak vinegar, whiskey and alum, whiskey and 
tannic acid, and alcohol and tannic acid. These solu¬ 
tions should contain from thirty to sixty grains (which 
is equivalent to a half and to one teaspoonful) of alum 
or tannic acid, to the pint of whiskey or alcohol as the 
case may demand. Many athletes prefer the weaker 
solution, while others lean toward the stronger. 

Bathing not only affects the skin but also the blood 
vessels in it, as well as the muscles, nerves, nerve cen¬ 
tres and internal organs. The direct effect of a cold 


Bathing. 


53 


bath is to produce a chilly sensation on the surface of 
the body, and nearly every person who has ever taken a 
cold bath knows what the expression goose flesh means. 

Those who are accustomed to a cold bath, know how 
they will instinctively shudder before going under or 
into the water, and at the same time their lungs are 
involuntarily expanded beyond their normal capacity. 
Moreover, if the person were to count the number of 
his heart-beats and respirations, he would find them 
slightly increased. Further, there is a sense of exhilara¬ 
tion which produces a slight degree of mental excite¬ 
ment. After bathing, a reaction of the different organs 
and tissues of the body begins. The cold sensation gives 
way to a sense of warmth, the mental excitement 
disappears, the skin, instead of possessing a pallid 
appearance, grows redder and redder until it is in a 
glow, and after a while the functions of the body 
return to their normal condition. When a cold bath 
has been of very short duration, little or no depression 
follows; but if this period extends beyond five or ten 
minutes there is great danger of shock, since more 
energy in the form of combustion must be expended to 
allow all the bodily functions to regain their normal 
condition. It is far better to spend five or ten seconds 
in taking a cold bath than five or ten minutes, because 
in the former case no evil is likely to result, while in 
the latter great harm may be done. 

Warm baths act in just the opposite way on the 
body that cold baths act. Instead of stimulating the 


54 


Practical Training. 


different functions of the body they facilitate their 
work. The bodily temperature is raised somewhat 
during a warm bath, but not enough to cause any 
inconvenience unless the bath be too hot or too pro¬ 
longed. While taking a warm bath we find the blood 
vessels dilated in the skin, and the skin gives off a 
certain amount of water. When the temperature is 
very high it produces a faintness with which many 
of my readers are familiar. After taking a hot bath 
great care should be exerted in wrapping the body in 
a blanket or sheet in order to prevent the blood ves¬ 
sels, which are thoroughly dilated, from contracting 
too quickly, and thus prevent any tendency to internal 
congestion. Warm baths are invariably to be prescribed 
when an athlete is suffering with stiff or overworked 
muscles, so as to allow them to regain their supple¬ 
ness. 

Persons who exercise and bathe directly afterward 
should remember that there are three classes of consti¬ 
tutions to be dealt with, and that the kind, degree and 
duration of the bath must be regulated according 
to the constitution to be considered. The first class 
includes men with strong, healthy, robust bodies. 
These men are so constituted that they can take any 
kind of a bath and are benefited. The second class is 
composed of persons who are weak in some part of 
their body, and for whom a careful prescription should 
be given by a physician, in order that the bath may 
be the proper kind. The third class includes persons 


Bathing. 


55 


with idiosyncrasies; and, by way of illustration, I 
may mention the case of a friend of mine who pos¬ 
sessed excellent health and strength, yet he could 
not take any kind of a bath but a lukewarm one, if he 
wished to be benefited. As he said to me, “ A cold 
bath is too cold and chills me, a hot bath is too warm 
and weakens me, but a lukewarm bath is just right, 
since it neither chills nor weakens me, and I feel well 
after taking it.” 

Bathers who take warm or hot baths should be very 
careful not to stay in the bath, under any circumstances, 
so long that it makes them feel faint; because too much 
energy is wasted in the production and elimination of 
heat, and this, after exercising, will result in having a 
depressing influence upon the bather. 

Persons when taking a bath should always bear in 
mind that there is great danger of overdoing it. 

Baths have been classified according to the temper¬ 
ature of the water. The cold bath is below 60 degrees. 
The most common temperature of water in which all 
persons bathe, ranges from 60 to 72 degrees, and is 
spoken of as the ordinary bath, because it suits most 
individuals who are fond of bathing. To some, any 
temperature below 66 degrees or 68 degrees seems very 
cold, hence the different terms of cold, hot, and luke¬ 
warm are purely relative. The temperature of a luke¬ 
warm bath will range between 80 and 90 degrees, 
while the moderately warm bath ranges from 90 to 100 
degrees ; above this temperature it is called a hot bath, 


56 


Practical Training. 


ranging from ioo to no degrees, the thermometer used 
in every instance being that of Fahrenheit. 

Medicated waters, and waters ranging in tempera¬ 
ture from cold to hot, are very frequently used locally. 
Special attention is given to their local application 
in the chapter on the treatment of strains, sprains, 
bruises and stiffness. Hot and cold water are some¬ 
times used alternately, and frequently shower or needle 
baths are so arranged as to be fed by both a cold and 
hot supply of water, the temperature of which may be 
regulated. 

A shower bath should be used with a great deal of 
discretion, and none but robust persons should indulge 
in a cold shower. 

A needle bath, which is nothing more than a modi¬ 
fied shower bath, may be used in the same manner that 
one would use the ordinary shower. 

A steam bath is made by causing the water to 
become vaporized. The bather may either go into a 
steam room or may sit in a closed compartment, with 
every part of his body protected except his head. This 
is an excellent bath to relieve one of stiffness, but is 
quite enervating, especially when continued daily ; and 
I would give especial warning to men who train for 
athletic contests, no matter whether it be for track 
athletics, football, basketball, or bicycling, to be very 
careful lest they overdo the matter. The steam bath 
does a great deal of good when one first begins to train, 
but after a week or two, when all soreness and stiffness 


Bathing. 


57 


has disappeared, it is apt to be productive of more harm 
than good, and I would advise the discontinuance of it. 
If stiffness or soreness returns any time after having 
discontinued the steam or hot-water bath, it will do no 
harm to indulge in such a bath occasionally. It is not 
wise to take a steam bath the day before a contest, 
because energy is wasted in the production of heat. 
Should a decided reaction be desired, after taking a 
steam bath, the bather may take a cold bath, consisting 
of a sponge, a shower, or a plunge, according to circum¬ 
stances, being thoroughly rubbed immediately after. 

A Turkish bath really consists of a series of baths 
accompanied by a thorough treatment of rubbing. The 
bather wraps a small sheet about him, which extends 
from the lower part of his abdomen to the upper part 
of his thighs. After taking a drink of cold water in 
order to stimulate his skin and thus start the functions 
by which perspiration is produced, he enters the warm- 
room, where the temperature is about 140 degrees Fah¬ 
renheit. In this room there are chairs in which one may 
recline for a time, the time being regulated by the desire 
of the bather. After this the hot-room, in which the 
temperature ranges from 165 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit, 
is entered ; the bather remains here a few minutes. 
Thereafter he goes to the reclining-table, where an 
attendant applies soap over every portion of his body, 
after which the treatment of massage is applied ; this 
having been done he is thoroughly washed with warm 
water, which may be reduced in temperature to suit the 


5 » 


Practical Training. 


individual. The next step is to enter the steam-room 
and lie down on a wooden bench, in order to take a 
steam bath ; this having been done the bather comes 
out of the steam-room and goes into the needle bath, 
first using warm water and afterward gradually lower¬ 
ing the temperature to cold, in order to avoid too great 
a shock. Having finished the needle bath, the swim¬ 
ming bath is next entered, the temperature of this 
ranging from 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as 
the bather emerges from the swimming bath, an attend¬ 
ant dries his body thoroughly and wraps him in a 
sheet; then he is conducted to the reclining-room, where 
he lies down upon a couch, after which he is covered 
with a blanket or two, and remains there for an hour or 
two, taking a nap if desired. Should he feel the want 
of a slight stimulant, the attendant brings him a glass 
of wine or a cup of tea or coffee and a few crackers. 

There are some dangers to be guarded against 
in taking a Turkish bath. No bather should drink an 
excess of cold water before entering the warm-room ; a 
glass should be sufficient, and in a great many cases a 
half a glass will answer the purpose. It is dangerous 
to stay either in the warm-room or hot-room too long, 
and will prove injurious by causing a great deal of 
exhaustion. The moment a bather begins to feel 
weak he should leave these rooms, even if he has 
been in them but a minute or two. Persons who in¬ 
dulge in Turkish baths should not allow the attendant 
to rub them so hard that it causes soreness, nor should 


Bathing. 


59 


the rubbing be too prolonged. Too long a time should 
not be spent in the steam-room. After coming from 
the steam room and entering the needle bath it is dan¬ 
gerous to make the temperature of the needle bath as 
cold as possible at first, because the shock is too great. 
No stimulant should be taken unless absolutely nec¬ 
essary. Persons who are of weak and nervous consti¬ 
tutions should omit the swimming bath, because the 
water as a rule is too cold for them. While in Germany 
I frequently took Turkish baths, and in addition to the 
things I have mentioned there was a warm swimming 
bath. This was the first part of the Turkish bath, and 
was used to start the process of perspiration. 

Medicated baths are made by adding medicinal 
substances to water. The substances used are sulphur, 
iodine, bromine, carbonate of soda, borax, carbonate 
of potash, hydrochloric acid, nitric and nitro-muriatic 
acid. From a drachm to six ounces of these drugs has 
been used. To twenty gallons of water may be added 
from three to five ounces of soda or potash in the form 
mentioned above. If borax be used, four ounces will 
suffice. Should the acids I have mentioned be called 
for, an ounce will answer the purpose. Iodine and 
bromine may be used in half-ounce quantities to twenty 
gallons of water. Sulphur may be used in quantities 
varying from two to six ounces to twenty gallons of 
water. 

There are many cities both in America and Europe 
where different kinds of mineral baths may be found. 


6o 


Practical Training. 


Badenweiler, in the Black Forest, in Southern Germany, 
is noted for its mineral baths ; also Wildbad, in the same 
mountains; Kissingen, in Bavaria; Aix-les-Bains, in 
Savoy ; Aix-la-Chapelle, in Rhenish Prussia. Here the 
water is impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen. 
Other bathing waters that I have mentioned in refer¬ 
ence to the different places contain sulphur, carbonic 
acid, sulphate of soda, etc. In America we find sulphur 
baths at Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. At Saratoga, 
New York, there are springs containing all sorts of min¬ 
eral waters, which are used for bathing purposes. Colo¬ 
rado Springs has long been noted for its mineral waters, 
which are not only used for drinking purposes, but also 
for bathing purposes. There are many other places 
noted for bathing, both in Europe and America, that I 
have not mentioned ; but nearly all will be found to 
contain one or more of the mineral salts, e. g., Carlsbad, 
in Austria. 

In concluding this chapter it may be well to throw 
out a few general hints. Bathing, no matter whether 
the bather takes a cold bath, a warm bath, a steam 
bath, etc., always produces greater combustion in the 
body, and therefore increases the respiratory functions, 
the action of the heart, the amount of tissue change, 
and the velocity of the blood current. From the fore¬ 
going physiological facts it follows that no one should 
take a bath who is exhausted. 

Rooms in which baths are taken should always be 
well ventilated, in order that the bather may take fresh, 


Bathing. 


61 


pure air into his lungs. Should the room be poorly 
ventilated and foul air breathed, the bath will lose many 
of its good effects. 

Never take a bath when a current of cold air is blow¬ 
ing upon you, so that a draught is the result. The air 
blowing upon your skin will chill the surface and drive 
the blood to the internal organs too quickly, thus con¬ 
gesting them, and the result may be a cold the next day. 
After bathing, always rub your skin until it becomes 
thoroughly dry, and then bring the surface to a glow 
either with a coarse towel, flesh brushes, an india-rubber 
brush or the dry hand. Friction by means of the hands 
is a great aid to bathing. It not only does good from 
the rubbing, but also from the amount of exercise one 
is necessitated to take and the heat produced. Never 
rub too long, lest you become tired, and thus exhaust 
yourself, after bathing. Under no circumstances should 
a person take a bath immediately after eating a meal, 
because digestion will be greatly interfered with. It is 
far better to allow three or four hours to elapse before 
bathing, in order to get the full benefit of a bath and to 
allow sufficient time for digestion. Always be careful 
to avoid a chill or shock. These are produced by care¬ 
lessness on the part of the bather as a rule. There are 
cases, however, of chill and shock which are due to dis¬ 
eases of various kinds, or ill-advice which has been 
given by some kind friend or ignorant person. 


CHAPTER IV. 


RUBBING. 

I HAVE intentionally avoided making exclusive use of 
the word massage because I do not wish to burden 
those who read this chapter with a great many tech¬ 
nical terms used in books upon the treatment of mas¬ 
sage, and I shall deal with this subject in such a way 
that it can be understood by any one. Every person 
who rubs his own body or has an attendant to do it for 
him, should remember there are two very important 
points to be considered : first, that the blood in the veins 
should be assisted back to the heart in order to relieve 
the different parts of the body which have been exer¬ 
cised, and are congested ; and secondly, to relieve the 
pain caused in any tissue due to any cause whatsoever. 
Rubbing may be either local or general, that is, it may 
be applied to an arm, the back, or the foot, or it may 
be applied to the whole body. The amount, dura¬ 
tion and rapidity must necessarily vary with each indi¬ 
vidual, because no two athletes are constituted exactly 
alike. The greatest care and accuracy should be taken 
in prescribing the quality and quantity of rubbing. A 
disregard for this will frequently do the person rubbed 


Rubbing. 


63 


more harm than good. I have seen many persons who 
take exercise regularly, and many athletes, suffer from 
the unskilled rubbing of an ignorant attendant, the 
trouble resulting in the skin being rubbed so hard that 
it left a raw surface. Again, the rubbing lasted so long 
that great fatigue resulted. Further, too rapid rubbing 
will frequently cause pain by heating the skin too 
quickly, causing the hairs of the body to stick to the 
attendant’s hands, giving as a final result a pulling of 
these hairs. Rubbing should never be begun strenu¬ 
ously at the outset; but should be started slowly and gen¬ 
tly, and gradually increased, so as to be adjusted to the 
individual’s feelings. Persons who take general exercise 
should also take a rub after having taken a bath. In this 
way they will not only cause the blood to circulate 
freely again through all parts of their body, but will also 
prevent or overcome any soreness or stiffness that may 
be present; and in addition to this the tissues of their 
body will constantly be kept in a better condition. 

Especial care should be given not only to the whole 
muscular system after exercise, but also to the different 
joints throughout the body. It is especially important 
that these be well cared for, in order to avoid the pre¬ 
disposition to different injuries which sometimes occur 
to athletes when exercising. The person who constantly 
keeps his joints and muscles supple, by exercise and 
manipulations, need have little or no fear as to injuries. 
It is only when these have been neglected that such 
misfortune overtakes those who exercise. 


5 


6 4 


Practical Training. 


Every one who wishes to have a fair knowledge of 
rubbing, should acquire at least a slight knowledge 
of the structure of the body as well as of its con¬ 
formations and contours. Muscles are not to be rubbed 
in the same manner that one would rub joints; therefore 
a little knowledge of muscles as well as joints is very 
essential, so that these may be properly treated by rub¬ 
bing them when it is necessary. 

The amount of benefit received from skillful rub¬ 
bing cannot be estimated ; but it can be safely asserted 
that the good resulting therefrom is beyond measure, 
especially in reference to using it after exercising. 

Persons who take exercise for pleasure and pastime 
may rub their own bodies ; but never under any condi¬ 
tion should a person who goes into strict training for 
a contest of any importance rub himself, because in so 
doing he is wasting a great deal of energy. More¬ 
over, the rubbing must be more thorough, last longer, 
and be applied to every joint and muscle in his body. 
For ordinary purposes so much care is not needed. 
Rubbing sometimes fails to accomplish good results, 
because it has been wrongly applied ; if, however, it 
had been properly applied the results derived would 
have been beneficial. Rubbing is of great service to 
persons suffering from ruptures of muscular fibres due 
to exercise, and I have known of several cases among 
noted athletes that were cured by rubbing, scientifically 
applied. Rubbing is also of vast importance and great 
benefit to injured joints, such as water-on-the-knee, 


Rubbing. 


65 


sprained ankles, shoulders, elbows or wrist joints. The 
amount of rubbing should be regulated carefully by 
the attendant with a due regard to the effects upon the 
person being rubbed. 

Muscles, when rubbed for an injury, should always 
be rubbed from their insertions to their origin. Rub¬ 
bing should, in a general sense, begin from the extrem¬ 
ities and extend toward the trunk. This is in order to 
assist the returning currents of the circulation. 

Different kinds of manipulations consist of stroking 
the body with the palm of the hand ; slapping the body 
with the open hand ; beating it with the closed fist; 
striking it with the hand at right angles to the body, 
so that the edge corresponding to the side of the little 
finger comes into contact with it ; kneading the skin, 
muscles and tendons ; grabbing the skin and muscles 
and squeezing them ; making combined digital press¬ 
ure over the surface of the body in different regions. 
Persons when being rubbed, should request the manip¬ 
ulator to use the fingers and palm of the hand together 
unless the manipulation be localized and of a special 
kind, e. g., kneading. 

The friction produced by rubbing may be either 
rectilinear or circular. 

One hand or both hands may be used to rub the 
body. It is customary for the right hand of the manipu¬ 
lator to be used for the right hand and foot of the 
patient, and the left hand for the left foot and hand of 
patient, if the rubbing be applied with one hand. Both 


66 


Practical Training. 


hands are used for the back, loins, abdomen and chest. 
The upward stroke in rubbing should always be more 
intense than the downward, and the stroke should 
extend over the whole surface from joint to joint, exer¬ 
cising great care not to chafe the skin. More danger 
arises in this respect when making the upward stroke 
than in making the downward. 

It is a good rule to commence rubbing in the neigh¬ 
borhood of the large blood vessels so as to influence the 
circulation as .soon as possible, and thus, by sending 
the blood more quickly to the neighboring tributaries, 
influence them and the tissue surrounding them. The 
inner sides of the upper and lower extremities are 
where the large blood vessels will be found. When 
rubbing, if one begins with the lower extremities 
the foot should be well rubbed, then the ankle joint, 
then the leg, after that the knee joint, then the thigh 
and lastly the hip joint. The rubbing of the upper 
extremities should begin with the hand, then the wrist 
joint should be cared for, after that the fore-arm, next 
the elbow joint, then the arm, and lastly the shoulder 
joint. The reason for doing this is to influence the 
venous blood at the points most remote from the heart 
and gradually work toward the heart. The chest should 
be rubbed from the insertion of the large muscles upon 
it to their origin, while the abdominal muscles should 
be rubbed from the right groin, as it is commonly called, 
in the direction of that part of the intestines known as 
the ascending, transverse and descending colon. When 


Rubbing. 


67 

rubbing the abdomen, the fingers of the manipulator 
should be kept close together, since if they are separ¬ 
ated there will be an unpleasantness about the friction 
which is very annoying to the person being rubbed. 
More pressure and less care are necessary in rubbing the 
back, because the skin and muscles are thicker and more 
numerous in this region, and the muscles are much 
larger and stronger. Here as in the abdomen the rub¬ 
bing should be from the origin to the insertion of the 
muscles. In the upper part of the back the anatomy 
of the muscles is so very complicated that it is difficult 
to understand how to do this unless one has studied the 
anatomical relation of the origin and insertion of these 
muscles very thoroughly. As a general method of 
rubbing the back, I would advise those who wish to 
have all of the muscles in this region well cared for, 
first, to rub upward and downward, then cross-wise, and 
lastly obliquely upward and downward. This will suf¬ 
fice for ordinary purposes and will be of great benefit 
to those who employ it. The upper and lower extrem¬ 
ities may also be rubbed upward and downward. The 
advantages of ordinary rubbing should never be de¬ 
spised, nor should they be criticised too severely by 
those who go into the subject of massage deeply. 
Persons who take exercise do not have enough time 
after exercising to take a thorough treatment of mas¬ 
sage, and hence ordinary rubbing must be resorted to. 

A rotary movement may be combined with an 
upward and downward, when one is being rubbed, 


68 


Practical Training. 


and this often relieves one of the severest kind of 
stiffness. 

When rubbing the upper and lower extremities, it 
matters not which are rubbed first, nor does it make 
any difference which part is rubbed first, i. e., the 
anterior, posterior or lateral. 

Variety of manipulations may be combined when 
rubbing any part of the body. Rubbing may be 
alternated with pinchings, beatings, and kneadings; 
and frequently from one or more of these combina¬ 
tions more good results than if rubbing alone had been 
employed. Rubbing not only benefits the muscles but 
the blood vessels, nerves, and skin; and in addition to 
this, ' the different glands throughout the body are 
benefited because the circulation of the blood is made 
more active as it passes through them. Rubbing has a 
soothing effect on the irritability of muscular tissue, 
and acts as a sedative and tonic to the nervous system. 
Any one who has been well rubbed after exercising 
knows how delightful the effects of it were on the 
whole body, and especially on the nerves and mus¬ 
cles. Rubbing after exercising produces such a reac¬ 
tion throughout the whole body that it is almost impos¬ 
sible to take cold if ordinary precaution be taken. It 
is also one of the best means at our disposal for increas¬ 
ing the heat of the body. 

There are a great many persons who take exercise 
and rub their muscles only. This is a mistake, because 
the joints should receive as much care, if not more than 


Rubbing. 


69 


the muscles, since their blood supply is not so good as 
that of muscular tissue, and hence it is much more 
important to keep the joints well supplied* with blood, 
and supple by rubbing them. Some of my readers may 
think I am speaking more especially of the larger 
joints such as the hip, knee, ankle, wrist, elbow and 
shoulder; but I would impress all athletes that as much 
attention should be given to the smaller joints, such as 
those of the fingers and toes, as to the larger ones. 

The face should be rubbed with just as much care 
as other parts of the body. 

This brief consideration of rubbing is intended to 
give to those who exercise for pleasure or health, as 
well as those who train for athletic contests, sufficient 
knowledge to enable them to care for the different 
tissues in their body after exercising, and in no way is 
meant to treat of the subject of massage, in detail. 
Should those who read this chapter desire a more 
thorough and scientific knowledge of massage they are 
referred to books which treat of it alone. My intention 
is to convey to those who desire it, a limited amount of 
knowledge upon the subject of rubbing, which everyone 
who exercises should possess ; and to impress those 
who exercise and train for athletic contests, I shall 
repeat a few important points that are well worth 
remembering, owing to the unlimited amount of good 
they will bestow upon those who possess them. Never 
rub yourself nor be rubbed too long. Do not rub too 
hard, nor be rubbed too hard. Always give yourself or 


70 


Practical Training. 


have your attendant give you a thorough and general 
rub. If rubbing be used to relieve stiffness do not rub 
too hard nor be rubbed too hard at first; but gradually 
increase the pressure and friction, or have your attend¬ 
ant do so. Lie down for ten, twenty, or thirty minutes 
after being rubbed, if the exercise taken has been vio¬ 
lent. Under no circumstances should rubbing be so 
severe that it produces fatigue. Should one become 
fatigued after being rubbed, and the fatigue last for a 
long time, then omit the daily rub for three, four, 
five days, or longer, as the case may need. Always rub 
all parts of the body until the body as a whole has a 
fair degree of warmth and reaction. This can easily 
be recognized by the general feelings of the individual, 
and by touching any part of one’s body with the hand, 
when a sensation of warmth will be imparted to it. 
The skin will also be in a glow and present a bright red 
appearance, if the proper reaction has taken place. I 
may add, before concluding this chapter, that rubbing 
does an unlimited amount of good to the skin, and 
when one’s skin has been well rubbed, the glands 
therein are so stimulated that they excrete materials 
which if retained are injurious to health. In addition 
to this, the false skin, or dead skin, as it is commonly 
called, is rubbed off, and is replaced by new, which 
is of benefit to those who have taken exercise and 
been rubbed. 


CHAPTER V. 


DIET. 


IET is one of the most important factors in con- 



LJ sidering bodily hygiene that one can deal with, 
because all bodily vitality is primarily regulated by 
the food we eat. We all know what slaves people 
are to their appetites, and the nervous diseases that 
are directly traceable to an overfed body. There are 
several factors to consider when discussing the kind 
and quantity of food eaten : its digestibility, the amount 
of physical energy to be expended in mastication, the 
chemical elements, idiosyncrasies of each person, etc. 

Foods, in books upon physiology, are classified 
under three heads : substances called proteids, carbo¬ 
hydrates, and hydro-carbons. The first of these in 
chemical composition contains the elements carbon, 
hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen ; the second class con¬ 
tains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, while the third 
class is composed of carbon and hydrogen exclusively. 

Proteids or substances containing nitrogen are the 
best foods, because nitrogen imparts energy to the 
body by strengthening bodily tissue. Examples of pro¬ 
teids are eggs, meats, peas, beans, etc. Carbo-hydrates 
act as oxidizing agents, and therefore contribute to 


72 


Practical Training. 


the heat of the body. The great mass of carbo¬ 
hydrates is found in all foods which come under 
the head of sugars and starches. Hydro-carbons or 
those foods which form the third class, also act as 
oxidizing agents, but do not impart energy to the body 
in the same manner as proteids. Fat is a good example 
of a hydro-carbon. It is by keeping a proper balance 
between these three classes of foods that the best 
results are obtained. An excess of any one class has 
a bad influence upon digestion when carried beyond 
certain limits. Persons who endeavor to live exclu¬ 
sively upon a meat diet do not thrive so well as 
those who mix with it a diet consisting of carbo-hy¬ 
drates and hydro-carbons. All persons who are very 
fond of sugar and starches, are burdened with fat, and 
have very little muscular stamina ; they easily become 
fatigued and their lung power is very poor, because 
the fat contained in their tissues readily oxidizes when 
exercise is taken. Persons who are fat can by a regu¬ 
lation of their diet in conjunction with exercise soon 
rid themselves of this incumbrance. More harm is 
done by overeating than by undereating, and those 
who use a little judgment in eating never know what it 
is to suffer with dyspepsia, flatulence, itching of their 
skin, grub-worms, as they are vulgarly called, etc. 

The American nation allows far too small a period 
for each meal, and this is the prime cause, in the great 
majority of cases, of the many digestive troubles that 
are to be found among the people who suffer. The 


Diet. 


73 


most easily digested foods are liquids, next semi-liquids, 
and lastly solids. The best food known for general pur¬ 
poses and one that will answer in the great majority 
of cases is milk. Some persons cannot drink milk, 
however, and this should always be borne in mind. 
Frequently it may be made very palatable by adding 
a teaspoonful or two of lime water to each glass, or a 
little stimulant such as brandy, whiskey, sherry or port. 
It is not my intention in this short chapter to deal with 
the scientific explanations of foods and their relative 
value. Books on physiology contain very exhaustive 
chapters in this respect, and for those who wish to go 
into details in regard to foods I would advise the study 
of the physiology of digestion. The stomach is the 
chief organ for digestion, and foods undergo change 
there, producing heat and motion ; therefore the prime 
object in selecting foods is to take only those that 
require a small expenditure of energy in their oxida¬ 
tion and that will impart strength to the bodily tissues. 

The albuminous foods are the only ones that con¬ 
tain nitrogen, and since nitrogen is found throughout 
the body in every tissue manifesting energy, albumin¬ 
ous substances are of prime importance. It is not good 
to eat a superabundance of albuminous food, however, 
because the time required for digesting and assimi¬ 
lating it will be too great, and in addition to this too 
much work will be required of the kidneys in elim¬ 
inating waste matter. The second class is not thor¬ 
oughly understood, yet it is known that this class is 


74 


Practical Training. 


converted into fat in the body and thus finally acts as 
fat. In the third class of foods, i. e ., fats, carbon is 
the essential element in the food. Wherever fat is 
found in the body there we find carbon, and fat is very 
necessary for the nutrition and growth of tissues. Poor 
health always follows if one’s body does not contain a 
small amount of fat, and when great fatigue has been 
encountered it is absolutely necessary to add foods 
containing fatty matters to the diet. 

Another class, which embraces inorganic substances, 
such as water, common salt and the phosphate of lime 
found in bread, milk and meat, is required for the co¬ 
operation of the chemical processes taking place in the 
body, and also for the influence they have upon secre¬ 
tion and nutrition. The mineral constituents in them 
impart strength and hardness to bone, firmness to mus¬ 
cle, and bring about chemical changes in the tissues 
throughout the body. Common salt exercises a great 
influence upon the growth and development of the 
body. All persons know how palatable a little salt 
makes a great many articles of food, and nature craves 
for this when it is deficient. The phosphate of lime in 
the food we eat imparts strength to our bones, and is 
very important in considering articles of diet. There 
are additional articles of food that should be consid¬ 
ered in one’s diet. These are coffee, cocoa, tea, alcohol, 
extract of beef, etc. These substances have little real 
force value, but act as force regulators, and in this 
way exert a great influence upon nutrition. 


Diet. 


75 


There are several processes to consider in reference to 
foods before they are taken up by the blood for the repair 
of bodily tissue. Each particle of food when properly 
digested has been changed from an insoluble to a 
soluble substance, this being accomplished partly by 
the action of the teeth, stomach and intestines. Foods 
are also rendered soluble by the action of glandular 
secretions upon them, such as the salivary, gastric, 
pancreatic and intestinal. The juice of the stomach 
has the power of converting the albumen contained 
in meats, which is insoluble, into soluble substances. 
The salivary and pancreatic fluids possess the power 
of converting the starch contained in sago, macaroni, 
potatoes, rice, and hominy into sugar. In addition to 
the action of these juices, we find that fat, an insoluble 
substance, is made soluble by the action of the bile 
from the liver. A point well worth remembering in 
regard to diet is to reduce the mechanical labor, which 
may be done by having foods properly cooked. No 
process of cooking should be employed that increases 
the mechanical labor of digesting the food, such as fry¬ 
ing, excessive baking, or thorough roasting and the like. 
These deprive foods of a great deal of their nutrition, 
for example the juice of meats. 

Overwork, fatigue, and excitement, should never 
accompany digestion, because the food will be incom¬ 
pletely broken up in the digestive canal and a mal- 
assimilation will result. On the other hand, cheerful¬ 
ness will aid digestion considerably. 


7 6 


Practical Training. 


Care should be exerted in selecting the quantity 
of the different kinds of foods, so as to obtain a 
proper amount of all classes, in order that the work of 
digestion may be distributed evenly to the different 
organs, and in this way avoid any possibility of giving 
too much work to any one organ, thus escaping the 
danger of overworking it. Books on physiology and 
hygiene give tables stating the exact quantity of each 
food to be eaten, in grains, and the amount of energy 
derived therefrom : for reference, see Foster’s, Kirk’s 
or Yeo’s Physiology and Parke’s Practical Hygiene. 

No fixed standard can be laid down for all athletes 
as to the quantity of food to be eaten, because the 
digestive powers of individuals vary greatly. No food 
should be overdone or underdone, because both will 
be indigestible. Meats are more easily digested when 
either roasted or broiled ; if roasted the juice should 
always be saved. Meats may be eaten rare, and this 
form is especially needed when a person is in training. 
Beefsteak, roast beef, roast mutton and mutton chops 
are the kinds of meat to eat, because they contain 
more nitrogen than veal, ham and pork. These latter 
three are to be omitted during training. Fowl may 
also be eaten, since their meat contains nearly as much 
nitrogen as the meats recommended before. The 
variety of fowl may include chickens, turkeys, guinea- 
hens and ducks. Any of these may be substituted for 
mutton chops, roast mutton, roast beef or beefsteak, and 
all are very essential when there is need of change. 


Diet. 


77 


Potatoes are useful in small quantities, because they 
contain vegetable salts which serve to keep the body in 
a state of health. They also contain a great amount of 
starch, which is converted into sugar during mastication, 
by the salivary juice, and are beneficial owing to this 
fact. If a great many potatoes, however, are eaten, 
flatulence is likely to be the result. From one to two 
potatoes of ordinary size, nicely baked, per meal, should 
be enough for any person in training. 

Eggs are one of the most useful and nutritious foods 
found among the articles of diet for training. These 
may be either soft-boiled or dropped into hot water. 
They may also enter into the composition of light pud¬ 
dings. Sugar may be allowed in minute quantities for 
sweetening tea, and plain puddings. Great care should 
be exercised in the use of sugar, and in some cases it is 
best to omit it altogether from the list of articles of diet. 

Butter may also be allowed in small quantities, and 
should an individual find that his digestion is one that 
craves for butter he may be allowed to eat a moder¬ 
ate amount. If butter be poorly digested, then omit 
it. It is a common belief among trainers that butter 
should not be allowed under any pretence ; but if they 
understood how the fat in butter produced force, when 
undergoing oxidation, they would readily change their 
belief. When butter or any substance containing fat 
is not assimilated readily, oatmeal may be substituted. 
There are many foods that may be added to the 
list of vegetables one may be allowed to eat during 


78 


Practical Training. 


training : these are celery, watercress, lettuce, spinach, 
cauliflower, tomatoes, and peas. Fruits, such as apples, 
prunes, pears, oranges and plums, may also be eaten. I 
may add that during the eight years I trained for track 
athletics I was accustomed to eating a banana for my 
luncheon every day, and I never experienced any but 
good results. This I attribute to my great fondness 
for the fruit and my excellent digestion. To be on the 
safe side I made it a rule never to eat a banana at the 
luncheon just prior to my race, but I have frequently 
eaten one the day before. In some of my trials, al¬ 
though I had eaten a banana but three or four hours 
before, I ran a trifle faster than I ran m3 T race. 

Bread may be eaten freely, but should be a trifle 
old, say from one to three days. It may be eaten dry 
or in the form of toast with butter. If the toast be 
buttered, a small quantity of butter should be used. 
Never eat hot bread, rolls or biscuit. Crackers may be 
substituted for bread if desired. Soda biscuits contain¬ 
ing a small quantity of salt are very useful. Calf’s-foot 
jelly is a good food for training when used in proper 
amounts. Sweet crackers should not be used. Green 
peas may be eaten in moderate quantities, as well as 
lima beans. These contain a goodly amount of nitro¬ 
gen, and are therefore very useful as articles of diet. 
Rice may be eaten occasionally, but not in large quan¬ 
tities, since it contains no nitrogen, and therefore does 
not impart a great amount of energy to the body, simply 
acting as an oxidizing agent. 


Diet. 


79 

All sorts of theories have been advocated in refer¬ 
ence to the amount of water to drink during training 
and exercise. The best rule for each individual to go 
by is to take a sufficient amount to quench his thirst, 
remembering never to be excessive simply from habit. 
Ordinarily from four to six pints of fluids during the 
twenty-four hours will be sufficient. Some of this is 
contained in the foods eaten, such as tea, milk, ale 
and water. Fluids should not be taken just prior 
to exercise. Only a very small amount of water, 
from a half to one glass, of ordinary size, should 
be taken just before meals, and if possible no fluids 
except tea and ale or wine should be taken during 
meals. A little ale or warm tea taken just before 
indulging in solid food will start and aid digestion. 
Opinions differ as to the use of alcohol, and I may say 
that from my own experience of ten years I could not 
detect any greater benefit during training when I used 
ale than when I did not, and I was very careful to 
study the effects of training with and without the use 
of a stimulant. A small amount of alcohol has little 
effect upon the system, but moderate and large quan¬ 
tities diminish the power the muscles possess of sus¬ 
taining their work. Beer may be used occasionally 
instead of ale, but the quantity should not exceed one 
pint per day. Beer contains sugar, and may cause the 
generation of wind, and thus do more harm than good. 
This fact one should never lose sight of when training. 
If one becomes stale when training, a little wine will 


6 


8o 


Practical Training. 


serve to strengthen the appetite. Port, sherry, madeira, 
or sauterne may be used, diluting it with sufficient water 
to make it palatable, if necessary. If any of these be 
taken in large quantities, too sudden a checking of 
tissue waste is liable to be the result. Tea is used as a 
nerve stimulant, and may be taken, but should always 
be weak. It may be taken cold or warm, but better 
results follow when taken warm. Coffee should not be 
used by men while in training, unless the deprivation 
of it causes too great a mental turbulence, because it is 
too much of a nerve stimulant, and men are prone to 
drink it in an over-concentrated form. 

Foods that may be eaten with moderation when the 
training diet has become monotonous are ice cream, 
plain cake, such as sponge cake, floating island, etc. 
Discretion should be used in the selection of these, 
and they should not be eaten shortly before a con¬ 
test. They may be eaten after a contest, but should not 
form a part of the regular diet. Other articles of 
food that have not been mentioned should not be eaten 
in training, except when one is a trifle stale, under 
which circumstances a change is the very thing needed. 
Desserts that may be included in the training diet are : 
bread, rice and tapioca puddings, cup custard, sponge 
custard occasionally, and apple-tapioca. 

With the list of meats, vegetables and desserts 
mentioned in this chapter, no athlete should have 
any trouble in selecting a sufficient variety for each 
meal, nor should his training diet grow monotonous. 


Diet. 


8 


The chief substances for the athlete should be meat, 
eggs and bread, while the vegetables, stimulants and 
desserts should be considered as necessary accessories. 
All meats should be eaten at regular intervals, always 
allowing from five to six hours after each meal, remem¬ 
bering to make it the rule never to eat between 
meals. The one exception is, if necessary, to allow the 
athlete to eat a little food about an hour after a very 
severe contest, e. g., a chicken sandwich, a piece of dry 
bread or toast with a very little butter on it, or a sand¬ 
wich made from cold roast beef, in order to re-establish 
quickly the destruction of tissue which has been caused 
by exercise. 


CHAPTER VI 


SLEEP. 

S LEEP is also one of the most important factors to 
be considered by athletes while in training, or by 
those who take exercise for recreation and health, but 
who do not care to attain the high degree of physical 
endurance and strength reached by the athlete. The 
exact amount of sleep for each individual varies ; the 
best way to be guided, as to the number of hours to be 
allotted to sleep, is to let nature adjust the period of 
repose. Some persons thrive on six or seven hours, 
while others need eight, and in some cases nine or ten 
is required. Young men under twenty or twenty-one 
years of age usually require more sleep than persons 
who are older. This is because growth and develop¬ 
ment are greater before the twenty-first year than after 
it. It is an old saying that an hour’s sleep before mid¬ 
night is better than two or three after, and no one who 
goes into training for any contest should retire later 
than half-past ten. Sleep is the most perfect form of 
bodily repose, and is the time during which the body 
has the most available opportunity to reconstruct the 
different tissues throughout the human machine. It is 


Sleep. 


83 


well to cultivate the habit of going to bed regularly ; a 
variance of even ten or fifteen minutes every night will 
make considerable difference in the body’s memory, and 
from this variance the effects upon the different systems 
in the body, such as the nervous, circulatory, muscular 
and glandular, will be markedly felt. 

Persons who exercise regularly or train should make 
an especial effort to have the rooms in which they sleep 
at a distance from all disturbing influences, such as 
street cars, railroads, machine shops and boiler works. 
It is true that persons become accustomed to the forego¬ 
ing ; but the vibrations produced upon the body by these 
influences make themselves felt even when one is asleep, 
and sleep is not so sound as it would be if these influ¬ 
ences were removed or avoided. Persons who enjoy a 
sound sleep receive twice as much benefit as those 
whose sleep is light or disturbed. No one who tries 
will fail to go to sleep shortly after getting into bed. 
It may take a few weeks to cultivate this habit, but it 
will surely come if the individual be persistent in his 
desire. Immediately after retiring one should endeavor 
to cease thinking until the next morning. This will aid 
in reducing the expenditure of bodily energy, and will 
give the brain and other bodily tissues an extra amount 
of rest. 

The best position to be in when asleep is upon the 
right side ; this is owing to the fact that the heart per¬ 
forms its work more easily when one assumes this 
position. The position of sleeping upon the right side 


8 4 


Practical Training. 


should not be cultivated by persons who have always 
been accustomed to sleep upon their back, left side, or 
stomach, because they will find their sleep disturbed, 
owing to the change of position, or they will not be able 
to sleep at all. 

The head should not be covered during sleep; not 
only does the covering interfere with respiration, but 
it also predisposes the sleeper to cold when the cover¬ 
ing is removed ; and this may happen any time during 
the period of sleep. Moreover, one is liable to breathe 
air that is more impure than when the head is free from 
any covering. In cold weather the bedclothing should 
be drawn well up about the shoulders and tucked in 
closely, in order to retain the heat of the body. 
Care should be exerted in regard to the kind and 
amount of bedclothing. Too much covering does harm 
by its weight, because the body is compelled to support 
it, and, in so doing, expends an unnecessary amount of 
energy. Muslin sheets to sleep between, with woolen 
blankets both above and below the sheets, afford a very 
good and comfortable means of protecting the body. 
Little or no covering is necessary in summer. The 
bed should be moderately hard, and in many instances 
it will be found that a man prefers a very hard bed. 

The temperature of the sleeping-room should be 
about sixty degrees Fahrenheit during fall and winter 
weather. This may vary a few degrees either above or 
below sixty degrees, according to the peculiarities of the 
individual. The temperature of the sleeping-room will 


Sleep. 


85 


regulate itself during summer, yet the room should not 
be directly under a hot roof. Many persons who train 
and who have been accustomed to sleep in a tempera¬ 
ture of sixty-six degrees, sixty-eight degrees, or even 
seventy degrees Fahrenheit, think that they could not 
possibly go to sleep in a room with a temperature of 
sixty or sixty-two degrees. By a little practice, and 
gradually reducing the temperature of their bedroom, 
they can soon teach themselves to go to sleep and sleep 
soundly. After a couple of weeks, or a month at most, 
they will find a marked improvement in their general 
condition. They will be relieved of troubles, such as 
headache, dry throat, lack of relish for their food, and 
slight nervousness, which disappears shortly after aris¬ 
ing, that are directly traceable to contaminations found 
in an atmosphere of sixty-eight or seventy degrees, of a 
poorly ventilated sleeping-room. 

Under no circumstances should two persons sleep 
together when in training ; they may sleep in the same 
room, but always in different beds ; and it would be 
better if but one person slept in a room. Should it so 
happen that two or more persons, while in training, are 
compelled to sleep in the same room, the greatest care 
should be exerted by the trainer in selecting the men, so 
as to put persons together who are perfectly congenial. 
If there is not a friendly feeling between them the 
mental discord, although it may be overlooked by 
the trainer, will frequently be the cause of one or 
more men training off. Mental tranquillity has a most 


86 


Practical Training. 


powerful influence on the sleep of men who train, and 
many a man loses a great deal of sleep simply because 
his coach or trainer is continually finding fault with 
him. This fault-finding of the trainer not only makes 
itself felt on the brain of the person being trained, 
but also on the whole nervous system. It also, by 
affecting the nervous system, modifies the co-ordination 
of muscular movement, since all the muscles in the 
body are controlled by a nervous mechanism coming 
either from the brain or spinal cord. In addition to 
the influence upon the muscular system, the lungs and 
heart become affected, and marked chemical changes 
take place in other organs, which greatly influence 
sleep, and, in some cases, result in making the heart 
impulses irregular. This irregularity is frequently 
found among athletes, and is a very common cause of 
sleeplessness, being only overcome when the nervous 
system is relieved of the exciting cause which produces 
an alteration in nervous impulses. 

All persons should breathe through their nostrils 
when asleep, for two reasons : first, all particles of sus¬ 
pended matter found in the air will collect in the nos¬ 
trils and thus be prevented from entering the lungs, 
and secondly, the temperature of the air will be changed 
more* gradually than if the air be breathed through 
the mouth. The individual will also avoid the extreme 
dryness of the throat which results from sleeping with 
one’s mouth open. Few trainers realize that one of the 
most frequent causes of staleness is sleeplessness brought 


about by mental anxiety which is due to severe criti¬ 
cisms. Other causes of sleeplessness which lead to 
staleness are overwork, sewer gas resulting from bad 
drainage of the training quarters, impairment of diges¬ 
tion resulting from food such as meat that is slightly 
tainted, bad ventilation, poor water and milk. These 
causes of sleeplessness are often overlooked by train¬ 
ers, and are sometimes discovered when it is too late 
for the competitor to regain his much-needed vigor and 
snap before the contest for which he is entered. 

Another cause of sleeplessness is being irregular 
about going to bed. Many men train for a contest of 
one sort or another, and never retire at the same hour, 
for two consecutive nights, during the whole time they 
are training. Is it any wonder the brain cannot get 
accustomed to a definite time, at which a desire for 
sleep should begin to manifest itself ? Moreover, when 
the habit of retiring irregularly every night has once 
been acquired it is a difficult matter to form a regular 
habit. In order to accustom the body to a regular time 
at which it may look for sleep I would advise those 
who have been in the habit of retiring irregularly when 
not training, to begin to retire at a fixed hour, say ten 
o’clock, about a month before going into strict training. 
By so doing, the difficulty of being unable to go to sleep 
immediately upon retiring will be overcome unless the 
bad habit of sleeping an extra hour or two in the morn¬ 
ing is indulged in ; under which circumstances it is 
hard to get to sleep shortly after retiring. If the 


88 


Practical Training. 


man by his will-power goes to bed promptly at half 
past ten and arises not later than six, six thirty, or 
seven, he will be able to sleep during the whole night, 
without fear of waking, since his body, when he is in 
strict training, will need at least this amount of perfect 
repose. Men frequently spoil their nocturnal sleep by 
taking a nap after their dinner, sleeping from one to 
two hours ; and this very frequently is the reason they 
do not enjoy a thorough rest during the night, which 
is the proper time for sleeping. When in good condi¬ 
tion there is no need for sleep during the daytime. The 
sleepy tendency which manifests itself during the day¬ 
time is usually traceable to an excessive abundance of 
food being eaten at mealtime or to overwork. If due 
to the former, the trainer should see that such a fault 
shall not occur again ; and if due to the latter, the trainer 
had better advise and insist upon a rest of a few days 
or a week if necessary, and then the athlete will have 
no predisposing cause at work producing a constant 
desire for sleep. 

Too much light is a bad thing in a sleeping-room 
after one has once retired. It not only keeps the room 
warmer, but in warm weather is the means of attract¬ 
ing insects of all kinds, and bats, and the glare is very 
annoying to the eyes. 

The sleeping-room should be kept perfectly clean ; 
no heavy curtains should decorate the windows, because 
too much dust will settle in them, and they will prevent 
the free circulation of air. 


Sleep. 


89 


Under no circumstances should the sleeping-room 
communicate with the bath-room and water-closet, 
because the drainage, no matter how perfect, will 
always be a predisposing cause of trouble, and odors 
from the drainage pipes will pass into the sleeping 
apartment even when the door between the two 
rooms is closed. The chamber should not be kept in 
the sleeping-room ; in fact, it should never be seen 
there during any time. Urine readily decomposes, and 
the odor from it is not only annoying but positively 
noxious. If there be a stationary wash-stand in the 
room it should be scrubbed thoroughly once a day so as 
to avoid the accumulation of dirt about its sides, and the 
soap-dish should be as clean as the wash-stand. 

Dirty towels, such as I have seen in more than one 
training quarter, should never be seen, nor should dirty 
clothes be allowed to be kept in the room. With the 
above precautions the air of the room will be pure, and 
there will be no accumulation of dust, dirt, foul air, 
impurities, and germs. The room should also receive 
sunlight during some part of the day. 

There are a great many disorders arising from 
disturbed sleep, and many of them are of such sever¬ 
ity that the care and advice of a physician are needed. 
Insomnia too frequently is the result of abusing the 
body by depriving it of the sleep it needs by staying up 
until early in the morning. Dyspepsia also results from 
an insufficient amount of sleep. Not only does more 
blood go to the brain when one is awake, but this extra 


Practical Training. 


90 

amount of blood diminishes the normal amount of blood 
supply going to the digestive organs, and hence we find 
dyspepsia occurring. The same is true of the many 
bilious attacks which overtake hundreds of athletes. 
Constipation also results from overtaxing the body, by 
allowing too little time for sleep. The bowels need an 
adequate blood supply just as other organs ; and is it 
any wonder so many people are constipated when they 
diminish the blood supply in these organs by drawing 
it to the brain in order to keep awake ? Again, when 
there has been too little time allowed for sleep the 
muscles and nerves suffer greatly, because these tissues 
do not receive enough blood, during the time allotted 
to sleep, to allow them to repair themselves completely. 
The heart and lungs also suffer when too short a period 
has been allowed for sleep, because more energy is 
necessary when awake to sustain the functions of res¬ 
piration and circulation. Further, the tension thrown 
on the different ligaments and tendons of muscles 
requires more energy to be expended, because one is 
sitting, standing or walking when awake, in almost 
every instance ; while when sleeping, there is no tension 
thrown upon the body and its component parts, all of 
the tissue being in a state of relaxation. 

These points are well worth remembering when one 
trains for any athletic contest, and by using a little 
discretion the athlete can gain sufficient knowledge to 
guide himself intelligently and avoid many annoyances 
and discomforts produced by a disregard for sleep. 


Sleep. 


9i 


There is no factor, in considering the matter of training 
or exercising, which is productive of so much harm in 
after life as a disregard for sleep, and no athlete can 
train severely for any contest and do justice to himself 
who allows too little time for repose. I know there are 
many men, and good ones, too, who train faithfully so 
far as exercise and diet are concerned, but who, alas, 
do not live up to the letter of the law in regard to the 
proper amount of sleep. All of these men break down 
sooner or later. I shall have something more to say to 
these athletes when I come to consider the causes of 
diseases which are unjustly attributed to training, the 
true causes being found among the immoral habits 
which sometimes form part of the athlete’s inner nat¬ 
ure. The more serious diseases which follow a want of 
sleep and bodily abuse should receive the immediate 
treatment of a physician before they are allowed to go 
too far and ruin the constitution for life 





CHAPTER VII. 


HABITS. 


HE expression “ force of habit ” is so old that it 



I has become trite ; yet when one stops to con¬ 
sider the influence that this force exerts on vitality and 
bodily function, there is no denying the fact that the 
consideration of “habit” plays a most important part 
in reference to training and exercises of all descriptions. 
The habit of training severely is rarely, if ever, the true 
cause of injuring the constitutions of so many athletes. 

The true causes are found, in a great many instances, 
among the following : smoking, staying up too late at 
night, indiscretions in diet, a lack of self-control, moral 
weakness, alcohol, constipation and profanity. 

Tobacco should never be used, excessively, when 
training for an athletic contest. It sometimes happens 
that it is absolutely necessary to allow an athlete a mod¬ 
erate quantity of tobacco, in order to avoid the nervous 
wear and tear which is the outcome of a dissatisfied 
mind. Often it will be impossible for an athlete to get 
into condition, if his trainer refuses to allow an occa¬ 
sional smoke. The cause of this is directly traceable 
to the lack of harmony existing between the different 


Habits. 


93 


bodily tissues, produced by the athlete being deprived 
of tobacco, which, if allowed, would adjust every tissue 
so that the results would be a perfect co-ordination of 
all parts of the human motor. Great care should be 
used in allowing an athlete an occasional smoke or 
chew, because the habit may be abused, and then more 
harm will result than good. 

Unless the case is an extremely urgent one, the 
use of tobacco should be discontinued while training. 
Tobacco exerts a very powerful influence on the body ; 
the active principle, nicotine, is very poisonous, acting 
as a powerful depressant, and rmless the athlete has 
become accustomed to it, nausea, wretchedness, vomit¬ 
ing, paleness of the skin, cold perspiration and weak¬ 
ness follow. Everyone knows the general effect of 
tobacco on the heart and digestive organs. It is an old 
saying, “He has a tobacco heart,” or, “Tobacco dys¬ 
pepsia.” These should suffice to warn athletes against 
its use. Tobacco also acts as a depressant on the spinal 
cord, and in so doing diminishes the athlete’s power of 
locomotion, since the motor-impulses governing invol¬ 
untary movements originate in the spinal cord; and 
even when the movements governing the muscles are 
reinforced by impulses from the brain, they are also 
affected because they must pass through the spinal cord 
before being distributed to the upper and lower extrem¬ 
ities, chest or abdomen. Tobacco has a decided influ¬ 
ence on the pulse rate, lessening it in a marked degree, 
and by so doing, interferes with the circulation of the 


94 Practical Training. 

blood. This effect of tobacco on the blood is sufficient 
to cause an absolute discontinuance of it during train¬ 
ing. There are many additional reasons why tobacco 
should not be used, but a thorough discussion would 
occupy too much time and space. Those who desire to 
study more thoroughly the effects of tobacco on the 
body can do so by reading the article in Professor 
H. C. Wood’s book on Therapeutics. 

The habit of retiring late when training for 
athletic contests is one that needs severe criticism. 
The athlete who trains for any contest and does not 
retire until two, three, or four hours after he should be 
in bed, is sure to suffer. No man can do this without 
injuring his constitution. I know men who lost the 
amateur championship of America and the Inter-Col¬ 
legiate championship, because they could not refrain 
from going to a reception a night or two before the 
day set for the games. The energy expended by the 
excess of oxidation taking place in the body, caused by 
losing two or three hours sleep just before each con¬ 
test, was sufficient to cause defeat. This should always 
be borne in mind by athletes who wish to succeed, and 
especially when training for a championship. 

Indiscretion in diet causes an excessive expenditure 
of energy by producing an extra amount of oxidation 
in the bodily tissues, which is the means of increasing 
muscular and nervous activity, thus interfering with 
nutrition. An indiscretion in diet is often sufficient to 
alter the digestive functions of an individual to such an 


Habits. 


95 


extent that his physical condition is changed so that 
his muscles and nerves fail to respond with the same 
degree of quickness and accuracy. There is also less 
energy found in these tissues when the food has caused 
a marked disturbance. It is far from wise to be indis¬ 
creet by changing the habit of eating regularly, especi¬ 
ally when training. It is a very easy matter to become 
irregular, and an occasional indiscretion, which may 
seem trivial at first, often results in an utter disregard 
for regular habits of eating. If men in general knew 
how much energy is required in the process of diges¬ 
tion, there would be fewer indiscretions, and they 
would cultivate a habit, not only of eating regularly, 
but also of studying their diet so closely that there 
would not be the slightest chance of infringing on the 
digestive powers. If athletes wish to improve greatly 
they should study their diet, and form a habit whereby 
no indiscretions are committed. By making it a rule 
to be particular, it is an easy matter to become habitu¬ 
ated to a regular time for eating, and to a proper 
amount of food. In so doing there is no likelihood of 
indiscretions occurring. 

A lack of self-control plays a most important part 
in its effects on the body, and when an athlete is well 
trained physically, nothing upsets his nervous system 
more quickly than a lack of self-control. The moment 
an athlete loses control of himself his whole nervous sys¬ 
tem works so rapidly in distributing impulses to every 
organ and tissue in the body, that fatigue manifests 


7 


9 6 


Practical Training. 


itself. In fact, the expenditure of nervous energy 
which results from a want of self-control is sufficient, 
in many instances, to allow a second-rate athlete who 
possesses self-control, sufficient advantage to defeat a 
first-class man. 

It is not an easy matter to cultivate the habit of 
self-control, and owing to this very fact some athletes 
never become first-class men. There are so many 
requisites in the power of self-control that it seems a 
hopeless undertaking for those who try to gain it; but 
I can assure my readers that, by making it a habit to do 
something every day which develops this power, they 
will be surprised in the course of time to find they are 
gaining the power, and by perseverance will improve 
greatly, finally mastering themselves. 

One of the hardest things to overcome in regard to 
self-control, is a moral weakness of any description ; 
yet the man who knows he is morally weak and who 
daily does something which will form a habit whereby 
he strengthens himself in conduct, will in due time 
become so strong that his weakness will disappear. 
Training helps a man to become morally strong, and 
when a good force of habit is added to training, the 
result is not only a sound man physically, but also a 
good man morally. 

Many men and athletes are troubled with constipa¬ 
tion. This usually results from neglecting to attend 
to the bowels regularly. The bowels should be evac¬ 
uated regularly, and it is a very easy matter to acquire 


Habits. 


97 


the habit if a definite time is set apart for this pur¬ 
pose. If persons knew the injurious effects which are 
directly traceable to constipation, they would cultivate 
a habit whereby the bowels receive proper attention. 
If a glass of cold water be taken on arising and a regu¬ 
lar habit formed the bowels will keep in good order, 
and the digestion taking place in them will be more 
thorough. Athletes, as well as others, who suffer from 
constipation will be greatly benefited by forming a 
habit that will relieve them of intestinal troubles, if 
they will pay strict attention to their bowels. 

Liquor of any kind, except when allowed in small 
quantities, is extremely injurious to all men who train for 
athletic contests. Alcohol, no matter what its form may 
be, when constantly taken, even in moderate amounts, 
has a depressing effect on bodily tissues. It ruins the 
nervous system, as well as making itself felt on the 
muscles, and the brain is often affected to such an 
extent that insanity follows. Under no circumstances 
should alcohol be used in training simply as a beverage. 
It may be used with caution and discretion for medic¬ 
inal purposes ; that is, as a slight stimulant, as an aid to 
digestion, and in cases of fainting and exhaustion. 

Profanity is another bad habit that interferes with 
physical as well as mental harmony. When anyone 
uses oaths it is frequently because the person has 
been irritated. The impression made on the brain is 
far from pleasant, and this impression is often trans- 
mitted through the whole nervous system to the 


9 8 


Practical Training. 


muscles, making the effect felt there. Moreover, there 
results from the impression made by swearing an 
improper co-ordination of movements which diminishes 
the speed or accuracy or both of the athlete according 
to the sport in which he is engaged. The improper co¬ 
ordination of movement caused by swearing also tends to 
alter the respirations and heart-beats, and in this way 
an athlete who is addicted to the habit becomes winded 
before he would if he did not use profane language. 
This last effect is extremely marked in all men when 
exercising, who become greatly excited. I would not 
have my readers think for a moment that all athletes 
swear, because they do not; yet as to those who have 
acquired the habit, it will readily be seen from the fore¬ 
going influence on the body that it is a great gain to an 
athlete to conquer this habit. 

The man who succeeds in the vast majority of 
cases, if not in every instance, is the one who is partic¬ 
ular in every detail as to his habits. He not only lays 
great stress on each detail, but also masters, if necessary 
every one of the habits I have quoted. The habit of 
being particular in the minutest details teaches every 
man to cultivate a force of character which is of great 
benefit to him, and many athletes by their training 
acquire such a strong force of habit from the discipline 
they undergo that they become the noblest of men. 


CHAPTER VIII. 


FATIGUE. 



ATIGUE is a condition caused by exercising the 


1 different parts of the body. When a man exer¬ 
cises, he is teaching his body to withstand work. 
Fatigue may affect a part or all of the body, accord¬ 
ing to the exercise or exercises indulged in ; in the 
former case it presents local disturbances, while in 
the latter these become general. When one begins to 
become fatigued all that is necessary is to make a greater 
effort of the will in order to make the muscles contract 
more energetically, and the athlete who has the deter¬ 
mination to do this is the one who can push his endur¬ 
ance of fatigue to the greatest degree. It would seem 
that this is an easy matter, but, when it comes to the 
practical application of it, few athletes are found who 
have the necessary grit , as it is commonly called, to do 
so. Moreover, it is a power which can be developed 
only by patience and practice. Some athletes are born 
with a great deal of grit , and some acquire it by exer¬ 
cise, while there are those who are without it and 
who never develop it. The last always make third- 
rate athletes. The cause of local fatigue is due both 


L.ofC. 


100 


Practical Training. 


to muscular and nervous energy. The muscles be¬ 
come less and less able to work, pain manifests itself, 
and finally there is an absolute incapability of action. 
If fatigue be moderate the muscles may be made 
to move the parts which they control, by making a 
greater effort of the will. Effort continued will cause 
the muscular fibres to contract until exhaustion takes 
place. With men muscles never become absolutely fa¬ 
tigued ; will power may not be able to make them con¬ 
tract, but if an electric current be applied, it is found 
that the muscles are capable of contracting, thus proving 
that they had not been thoroughly exhausted. No mat¬ 
ter how strong the will power may be of an individual, 
it cannot produce the degree of fatigue in muscles 
that electricity and other stimuli produce. It is a com¬ 
mon expression among athletes to say that a man is 
exhausted after taking violent exercise, but such is not 
the case since his muscles could be made to do work 
if stimulated by electricity. The very fact that will 
power never produces complete exhaustion, is a safe¬ 
guard to every one who takes violent exercise. If the 
will possessed the power to cause complete exhaustion, 
there would be great danger to every one who exercises 
violently, because there would be no factor that would 
regulate the effect upon the different tissues through¬ 
out the body. 

Fatigue produced in a single group of muscles has 
more or less effect upon the brain, and disturbances take 
place in the brain which frequently make themselves 


Fatigue. 


ioi 


felt to such an extent that the sensation is painful. 
When fatigue is prolonged, will power begins to dimin¬ 
ish ; and this makes itself felt, indirectly, by causing the 
muscles to act less quickly and energetically. Fatigue 
also produces pain in muscular tissue by the exercise 
causing more or less shock to the fibres composing it. 

Fatigue of the brain makes itself felt long before the 
muscle gives out. The cause of this can sometimes be 
traced to the anxiety and nervousness many athletes 
experience before entering a contest. This nervous 
strain is depressing, and is the cause of the defeat of 
more than one athlete. The nerve centres are affected 
by voluntary movements, and any one who wishes to 
avoid the effect of these should endeavor to change a 
voluntary exercise to an involuntary one, in order to 
avoid as much nervous fatigue as possible. Not only 
this nervous fatigue makes itself felt upon the nerves 
and brain, but it also affects the lungs, heart and kidneys. 

An exercise that, when voluntary, causes fatigue, 
will produce fatigue more slowly, when involuntary. 

There is no fixed law to go by in regard to the sus¬ 
ceptibility to fatigue. It may be said, however, that the 
stronger and healthier the constitution, the less quickly 
will the body become fatigued, while the weaker and 
more unhealthy the constitution, the more quickly will 
fatigue come on. 

The structures of the body that are chiefly con¬ 
cerned in the study of fatigue are the brain, spinal cord, 
nerves, muscles, and lungs. The first three compose 


102 


Practical Training. 


the nervous system, and regulate the impulses govern¬ 
ing the action of the entire body. It may be safely said 
that there is no muscular exercise capable of bringing 
into play all the muscles of the body, which at the same 
time excludes the action of the lungs; hence general 
muscular fatigue is always accompanied by the use of 
the lungs, and in all violent exercises these organs are 
the chief regulators of the athlete’s powers of endurance, 
being assisted by the heart, which, strictly speaking, 
belongs to the muscular system, since it is a hollow 
muscular organ. 

An individual may by using different groups of 
muscles cause them to become fatigued without experi¬ 
encing any marked difference in the number of respi¬ 
rations per minute ; but the lungs, nevertheless, will 
eliminate enough carbonic acid gas to keep pace with 
the amount of this substance produced by the muscles, 
without being greatly affected. 

Nervous fatigue makes itself felt more than mus¬ 
cular fatigue, and leaves a greater impression on the 
individual. If the exercise be a voluntary one, then the 
brain becomes more active. When an exercise increases 
in violence the tissues in the body become fatigued more 
quickly, and if the exercise be very violent it leads to 
overwork and exhaustion. 

Muscular overwork and exhaustion are produced by 
prolonging an exercise beyond the physiologic limits 
of endurance, and sometimes result from neglect on the 
part of the athlete to use good judgment. 


Fatigue. 


103 


It may also be said that the same is equally true of 
the effects on the nervous system. The athlete who 
prolongs his exercise with an extra expenditure of nerv¬ 
ous energy suffers from fatigue in the same manner 
that the man does who studies too hard. 

The extreme effects of fatigue which lead to over¬ 
work and exhaustion are always noticeable in exercises 
which give a great amount of work to the heart and 
lungs. Many persons develop the muscles of the whole 
body, neglecting the lungs ; and after this has been 
accomplished they indulge in a violent exercise which 
not only demands all the muscular strength they pos¬ 
sess, but a strong and well-developed pair of lungs, and 
having given no especial attention to these they are 
surprised to find that fatigue overtakes them long 
before they had anticipated it. More attention should 
be paid to developing the lungs, because these organs 
are the chief regulators of the amount of fatigue 
the athlete will be able to endure ; and if these are not 
well exercised, fatigue will manifest itself very quickly. 
The lungs may be thoroughly developed by running. 

When the lungs and muscles have once been well 
developed and strengthened, then they should be taught 
to work in harmony with each other, so that the elimi¬ 
nation of carbonic acid gas may keep pace with its 
production, since it is the substance which is responsi¬ 
ble for producing fatigue. The tissues become clogged 
up with it, and the more violent an exercise is the more 
quickly will fatigue be brought on. The muscles are 


104 Practical Training. 

the first to suffer, then the nerves, next the brain, and 
lastly the lungs. The lungs after a given time are 
unable to eliminate this poisonous gas, and just as soon 
as the elimination is less than the production, fatigue 
begins to make itself felt upon the whole body; and 
when the exercise is violent and prolonged, it leads to 
overwork and finally to exhaustion. 

It is never safe to push fatigue to the point of 
exhaustion unless the body has received the most care¬ 
ful preparation for the work, by strict training, and even 
then it is better to avoid such a condition if possible. 

When fatigue begins to manifest itself upon the 
heart and lungs shortness of breath gradually appears, 
the respirations being decreased in volume but in¬ 
creased in number, the heart beats grow more frequent 
and irregular at times, the muscles respond less quickly, 
the face becomes livid, the veins stand out all over the 
body, the lips grow blue—quivering at times ; and if 
fatigue be pushed further, small particles pass before 
the eyes, the brain becomes affected, consciousness is 
disturbed or lost, and the person sinks to the ground, 
no longer able to sustain the violence of the exercises. 
This is an accurate description of extreme fatigue, the 
final result being that of fainting. 

To be able to withstand severe fatigue, for a long 
period of time, requires not only a strong will, good 
heart, and well-developed pair of lungs, in addition to 
a strong muscular system, but also that all of these work 
in harmony with each other. 


Fatigue. 


105 

The degree of fatigue which causes breathlessness 
is very great. Breathlessness is due to a passive con¬ 
gestion. In plainer words the veins throughout the 
body are surcharged with blood containing carbonic 
acid gas. To increase the power of eliminating this gas 
requires that the whole of each lung should come into 
play; therefore it is necessary to develop that part of 
the pulmonary tissue which is not brought into play 
during ordinary respiration, namely the tops. Further, 
by practice the area of the lung cells may be increased, 
since they are composed of elastic tissue, and this gives 
the athlete additional power of resisting fatigue. Great 
attention should be given to these points in consider¬ 
ing all exercises which are liable to produce extreme 
fatigue, since if they be neglected the athlete will lack 
the very thing he most needs —staying power. Prac¬ 
tice alone imparts to the athlete the power of resist¬ 
ing fatigue, and exercises which at first are capable 
of producing great fatigue will have very little effect 
when proper methods of training are pursued. 

The question of how to treat fatigue is of great im¬ 
portance to those who exercise, and especially to those 
who have weak constitutions or who exercise very vio¬ 
lently. The quickest way to overcome any degree of 
fatigue is to lie down upon the flat of one’s back. To 
assist the body in regaining its normal condition, the 
knees may be drawn up and the arms elevated. If 
respiration be labored, endeavor to make exhalation 
deeper and of a longer period of time, so as to get rid of 


106 Practical Training. 

the carbonic acid gas. Also, have an attendant rub the 
arms and legs, beginning at the hands and feet, through¬ 
out their whole length, toward the heart. Should un¬ 
consciousness be present, then dash a little cold water 
into the athlete’s face, also pour a teaspoonful or two of 
brandy, sherry or whiskey into the mouth, and slap his 
hands, feet and face with the open hand. If necessary, 
repeat the dose of the stimulant and hold a bottle 
of ammonia to the nostrils. Be careful never to allow 
an athlete suffering from such a degree of fatigue to lie 
on damp ground, a damp board or bench, in a draft or 
by an open window. Should recovery be slow and the 
respirations and heart-beats weak, send for a physician at 
once. The power of resisting fatigue varies greatly, and 
therefore it is a good thing to be able to take care of 
yourself, and the knowledge of the foregoing treatment 
will be of great service. 

A degree of fatigue that frequently presents itself 
is that of becoming winded. This condition is easily 
produced when a person has not taken exercise for 
a long time. That the picture of becoming winded 
may present itself clearly to my readers, I shall quote 
the phenomena that take place in a man who runs, 
walks, wrestles, plays football, or rows, when out of 
condition. He begins the exercise with all of his old- 
time vigor, and is surprised at first to find how well he 
can use his muscles ; but in a very short period of time 
they begin to feel the effects of the work, then slight 
distress comes on, which soon becomes severe, respira- 


Fatigue. 


107 


tion becomes embarrassed, the chest feels as if some¬ 
thing was preventing it from expanding and contract¬ 
ing. As the exercise is continued, distress becomes 
more and more apparent, the blood circulates faster 
and faster through the blood vessels, the veins ex¬ 
pand, the heart increases the force and rapidity of its 
beats, the blood vessels about the head and eyes begin 
to throb, perspiration is profuse, sight is disturbed, the 
lungs are no longer able to do the extra amount of 
work required, and the athlete is finally compelled to 
stop the exercise. When an athlete has once been 
winded, it is absolutely compulsory to cease the exercise, 
because the disturbances caused in the different bodily 
tissues will produce exhaustion, followed by fainting, 
with a loss of consciousness, if the work be pushed to its 
limit. 

Athletes who run rapidly are compelled, after a 
given time, to stop in order to get their breath, and I 
have often heard them say, when in good condition, 
“ My legs are all right, but my wind is poor.” This is 
because they have given too much time to develop¬ 
ing their legs by using a form of exercise that calls 
for little action of the lungs. It would have been far 
better for these athletes to have given more attention 
to exercises that call for good, strong and prolonged 
lung power, and less to those which develop the legs. 

The manner of breathing has much to do with 
the power one possesses of resisting fatigue, and a 
great deal of attention should be given to this point. 


108 Practical Training. 

To resist fatigue well requires that an athlete should 
know how to use the abdominal muscles, so that 
he may be capable of exhaling thoroughly, in order 
to rid his lungs of the excess of carbonic acid gas 
they contain. Many athletes are very deficient in this 
respect, yet if they paid a little more attention to the 
proper use of their abdominal muscles, their power 
of resisting fatigue would be more than doubled. To 
increase the power of resisting fatigue also requires 
that the muscles of the chest, back, and loins should 
be well developed, because these play a large part in 
separating and bringing the ribs together, more space 
is afforded for the lungs and heart, and a greater 
amount of air is inhaled and exhaled. I have seen 
dozens of athletes who if they had paid more attention 
to the foregoing would have possessed twice the stay¬ 
ing power. 

The fatigue produced by becoming winded may 
last for a long or short period of time, being regu¬ 
lated by the duration of the exercise and the violence 
of movement. In some exercises the athlete regains 
his wind very quickly on the cessation of work ; how¬ 
ever, if the exercise be very violent and prolonged, 
such as running a mile in five minutes or less, his wind 
will not regain its normal condition for some time. 

The same will also apply to the heart-beats ; they 
will be increased greatly, at times being doubled per 
minute, and this excess will continue for some time, 
according to the violence of the exercise. In the year 


Fatigue. 


109 


1886 I ran for the inter-collegiate championship of 
America in the one-mile run, winning it only by 
about a foot after the hardest kind of a race. The 
track was somewhat heavy owing to a rain that fell 
just previous to starting, making it harder to run in 
good time. This race was the closest and hardest I 
had ever run in my whole experience of eight years, 
and while the time, four minutes, thirty-eight and four- 
fifths seconds (4 min. 38 4-5 sec.), was not phenomenal, yet 
my heart-beats were increased to 144 per minute or just 
twice the normal, so great was the fatigue. This con¬ 
dition continued for some three or four minutes ; then 
the beats diminished to no per minute, a minute 
or two later they decreased to 96, and at the end of 
fifteen minutes both my heart-beats and respiration 
were normal, mamely 72 for the heart and 16 for res¬ 
piration. In this race my respirations were increased 
to 44 per minute, but returned to their normal con¬ 
dition about five minutes after I had finished the race. 
I quote this instance to show that respiration often 
returns to the normal long before the heart-beats, 
which demonstrates that fatigue of the heart lasts 
longer than that of the lungs. It also shows how 
important, in exercises which call for excessive endur¬ 
ance, it is to have the heart and lungs well prepared 
by training, in order to avoid any strains or ruptures. 

Fatigue never troubles the function of the heart and 
lungs unless the exercise be a violent one. When one 
gets winded it is always the result of violent exercise 


I 10 


Practical Training. 


which calls for a great and prolonged expenditure of 
force. If any one will simply study the phenomena 
that cause him to become winded he will find that 
deficiency in respiratory capacity is the fundamental 
cause of his becoming short of breath. The only way 
to increase the power of deferring the time at which 
breathlessness comes on, is to take exercises which will 
gradually increase the capacity of the lungs. This may 
be done by running long distances, or sprinting distances 
of three or four hundred yards, and by taking from 
fifty to one hundred deep inhalations and thorough 
exhalations every morning and evening, also adding to 
this exercises with chest-weights for the special pur¬ 
pose of developing the muscles about the ribs. Unless 
a person is diseased or deformed, fatigue will not 
produce breathlessness until the production of carbonic 
acid gas in the system has been greatly increased. 

The factors that regulate the period at which breath¬ 
lessness will manifest itself are strength, size and integ¬ 
rity of the heart, condition, size and capacity of lungs, 
and the aptitude which has been acquired in the use 
of these organs from practice. To avoid becoming 
winded it is necessary to regulate the exercise of the 
muscular system with a great deal of judgment, so that 
the production of carbonic acid gas may not exceed the 
eliminating power of the lungs too quickly. Practice 
alone will give the athlete an instinctive knowledge of 
how to regulate this, and when it is once acquired, the 
athlete will find he has an extremely good “ wind.” 


Fatigue. 


i 11 


Many athletes who indulge in different kinds of 
exercise are troubled with what they call a “ stitch in 
the side,” which compels them to cease exercising. 
This is due to a slight muscular spasm, or nervous 
change, produced by an excessive amount of carbonic 
acid gas accumulating in a localized part of the body, 
usually on either side just below the ribs, or just above 
the right or left groin, and is in the great majority of 
cases found in men who have not exercised regularly. If 
it occurs in persons who do exercise regularly, the cause 
is usually the fact that exercise has been taken too 
soon after a meal, or that some of the food eaten has 
not been digested thoroughly. Novices may get rid of 
this painful condition by making the exercise less pro¬ 
longed and less violent at first. If the stitch be due to 
exercising too soon after eating, it is sufficient to allow 
more time between eating and exercising to avoid the 
pain. Should the pain be severe, a cloth dipped into hot 
water, wrung out, and applied over the seat of it will 
usually give immediate relief. If the pain caused by a 
stitch in the side be excruciating, and the application 
of the hot cloth does not relieve it in a few moments, it 
is best to seek medical advice. Drugs for this purpose 
should never be prescribed by anyone but an experi¬ 
enced physician. 


CHAPTER IX. 


OVERWORK (STALENESS). 


HIS is a condition that overtakes all athletes 



I who train too long, and, unless guarded against, 
is productive of serious results, which lead to disease, 
and in some instances death. Overwork is found fre¬ 
quently among men who train for football, rowing, 
track athletics, field sports, gymnastic contests, etc. 

Many athletes wonder why it is that they are 
defeated, when on previous occasions they have never 
had any trouble to vanquish their opponents. The 
explanation is a very simple one. When an athlete 
begins to take systematic exercise, or train, for the 
first time, he gradually subjects his muscles, nerves, 
and lungs to severe work. These organs acquire an 
instinctive knowledge of the amount of energy they 
are required to expend, and as time goes on they begin 
to feel the effects. The athlete, not recognizing this, 
either does not allow enough time for these organs 
to rest, or he increases the severity of his exercise 
too rapidly. After a short time he finds his muscles, 
nerves, and lungs do not respond to their work so 
readily, although he has the desire to continue his 


Overwork. 


*3 


exercise, and he is surprised when he finds he has 
fallen below his record, never stopping to ask himself 
the cause. It never occurs to him that his tissues are 
being overworked, because he is able to make them 
do a fair amount of work without becoming greatly 
fatigued. As days pass by he learns there is no 
improvement in his condition, in fact the muscles do 
not respond with the same vigor, the nerves do not send 
such strong impulses to the muscles, and the lungs get 
choked up before the exercise is half finished. Such 
is a picture of overwork, which is called by athletes 
“ staleness.” 

Overwork is a common occurrence among men who 
train very hard, and it occurs in this way. The first 
year a man trains he is put through a course of very 
rigid exercise, the second year the work is still harder, 
the third year it is marvelous the amount that his tis¬ 
sues will stand, the fourth year he works still harder, 
only to find that he is unable to do as well as he did in 
previous years, and he is astonished. He asks himself the 
question, “ Why am I not able to do better ? ” Because, 
during the first two or three years the tissues were 
being trained up to their utmost limit, and being a 
novice, it took all this time to develop the different 
tissues to their highest degree. The body, during these 
years, retains some of its training—is in fair, if not 
good, condition — and does not need so much work, 
and therefore does not require so much time, nor so 
great a quantity of exercise, to put it into a first-class 


Practical Training. 


114 

condition. This fact is either lost sight of or is not 
known by men who train, and they, instead of studying 
just how much exercise they should take, give the mus¬ 
cles, nerves and lungs more than they can do or need, 
and “ staleness ” is the result. 

Athletes who are fond of exercise should be very 
careful not to become stale, and this will require no 
little amount of good, sound judgment. There are 
hundreds of men, especially among athletes, who imag¬ 
ine, if they do not exercise daily, that their bodies 
will not remain in good condition. Frequently they 
are overworking the already fatigued muscles when an 
absolute rest is needed. I have known of one instance 
where an athlete trained for three years, and at the end 
of that time ran a mile in four minutes and twenty-six 
seconds (4 min. 26 sec.), this being accomplished in the 
spring of the year. He continued to train very hard, 
and in the fall was so “ stale ” that he could not run 
a mile faster than five minutes and ten seconds. 
After an absolute rest of three weeks he ran a mile in 
four minutes and twenty-four seconds. This is a most 
perfect instance of overwork, and illustrates what rest 
will do for an athlete. The same rule holds good in all 
sports. 

It may be laid down as an infallible rule that when 
a person, after having exercised for a long period, falls 
short of the standard he has been reaching he is over¬ 
working, and to improve his condition he must rest long 
enough to allow all the tissues in his body to regain 


Overwork. 


5 


their former strength and fitness for exercise. It may¬ 
be necessary to cease exercising for a period of three, 
six, nine months, or even a year to accomplish this. 
Many an athlete has improved wonderfully by observ¬ 
ing the above fact. Mr. Ernest Ramsdell, who ran 
the hundred yards, while at Princeton College, in ten 
and two-fifths seconds (io 2-5 sec.), after giving up 
training for a year, came to the University of Pennsyl¬ 
vania to study medicine, and won the inter-collegiate 
championship for the hundred yards dash in ten sec¬ 
onds, and the two hundred and twenty yards in twenty- 
two seconds. I have spoken to him about this fact, and 
he said he felt he had worked too hard in former years 
for his age. This is one of many such cases, and many 
of my readers who have overworked know well how true 
this is. The overworked muscles and nerves try to do 
the work desired, when they are suffering not only 
from the contusions and shocks their fibres have re¬ 
ceived, but also from the excessive work given them, 
and try as they will they fail. 

Athletes often work too hard in the gymnasium 
during the winter, so as to be stronger when spring 
comes, and to be in “condition ” as soon as the weather 
will permit them to exercise outside. After going 
through this winter preparation they are surprised to 
learn, after exercising in the open air for three or four 
weeks, that their muscles and nerves have lost some of 
their old-time vigor; and instead of being able to do 
better, or so well as they have done in former years, 


Practical Training. 


i 16 

they do not reach their former standard. This is 
due to a condition of overwork, and there is just one 
cure for it, and that cure is a good, long rest, extend¬ 
ing from two weeks to a year, according to the degree 
of overwork. It is very hard to make athletes believe 
this, and even when told, they will sometimes continue 
to work instead of taking the advice of those who have 
profited by experience. No athlete ever retrograded 
when overworked if he took a much-needed rest ; on 
the contrary he improves, provided the period of rest 
extends over a sufficient period of time. 

Athletes who, on account of overwork, are not 
able to play football, row, run, jump, hurdle, vault, 
put the shot, etc., up to their usual standard cannot 
get out of condition, even if they rest for two or 
three weeks. They may possibly lose a little stam¬ 
ina, but a few days’ training will enable them to 
regain it. I sincerely trust my readers will bear this 
point in mind and profit from knowledge, instead of 
disregarding it and having to learn it from their own 
practical experience by being defeated by a second- 
rate athlete. 

Overwork, when continued, may lead to disease, and 
sometimes cases of typhoid fever are traced to it. 
This is exceptional in athletes, but very common among 
men who are compelled to labor for their daily bread 
in the heat of the sun, and are compelled to sleep in 
poorly ventilated rooms as well as eat poor or even bad 
food. 


Overwork. 


i i7 

When overwork is pushed to its utmost the individ¬ 
ual invariably complains of being greatly fatigued, and 
although he ceases his exercise, feels tired. This feel¬ 
ing will not disappear unless he rests. When such a 
condition presents itself, the individual had better re¬ 
main in bed from two days to as many weeks, and 
eat the most nutritious and most easily digested foods. 
After doing this no exercise should be indulged in for 
at least a month or two, and if the case should be ex¬ 
treme a longer period should be allowed, in order that 
the bodily tissues may have sufficient time to regain 
their normal condition. 

The bodily tissues may become exhausted without 
the athlete’s noticing any material discomfort from 
fatigue ; but if he be careful to note his weight he 
will find that he is steadily losing, and that he does not 
possess quite so much power of resisting fatigue. The 
condition of exhaustion is one that should be studied 
carefully by all persons who take exercise, in order to 
avoid any predisposition to disease resulting from igno¬ 
rance of its effects upon the body. 

Overwork invariably lowers the vitality of the indi¬ 
vidual. The way to treat an overworked person, in 
order to restore his muscles to their normal vitality, 
is to give him plenty of rest, good food, pure water, 
wholesome and pure air, an abundance of sleep, and to 
remove all things that have any disturbing influence 
on his mental faculties. It should never be lost sight 
of, that tranquillity of mind is essential to overcome 


118 Practical Training. 

bodily exhaustion. The most minute details should be 
followed in every respect, so as to include everything 
which may be of assistance to the athlete in regaining 
his normal condition. 

Exhaustion is frequently produced by compelling 
an athlete to perspire too profusely when exercising. 
The energy thus expended often exceeds the amount 
it should, and the recuperative powers of the body are 
seriously impaired, so that the process of producing 
perspiration does more harm than good. Muscular 
exhaustion not only affects muscular tissue, but also 
has a general depressing effect upon the whole body, 
frequently causing disturbances in other parts of the 
human machine. The most radical change in a person 
who has overworked his body is that his muscles, 
instead of becoming larger, actually grow smaller. 

The heart muscle at first suffers with an over-devel¬ 
opment, which is frequently followed by expansion of 
the cavities ; after this has taken place it begins to 
grow smaller and its power of enduring fatigue is 
diminished greatly. This is especially the case with 
track athletes, gymnasts, oarsmen, football players and 
others, who have conjoined dissipation with training. 
In addition to this wasting of muscles produced by 
overwork, there is also a form of overwork which leads 
to such an exhaustion of the nervous forces, through¬ 
out the body, that nervous prostration follows. All 
physical exercises not only tax the muscles but also 
the nerves and their centres. Every physical exercise 


Overwork. 


ii 9 

that necessitates any accuracy, produces a movement 
the co-ordination of which calls for an amount of 
nervous energy much greater than when accuracy is not 
required. Herein lies the great difference between 
physical exercises that are purely mechanical, and 
those which demand, not only a great amount of nerv¬ 
ous energy, but also a proper use of that energy. 

Athletes who take a great amount of violent exercise 
should be especially careful to avoid the evil results of 
overwork and exhaustion, by eating good, wholesome 
food and taking plenty of sleep. If the food be poor it 
will change the quality of the blood, making itself felt 
on the nervous and muscular systems, and finally 
on the whole body. Overwork and exhaustion gener¬ 
ally show their effects upon those who neglect their 
sleep. The muscles, nerves and brain of the athlete 
are affected by exhaustion, because they are poisoned 
by the carbonic acid which is in excess in the blood. 
His heart and lungs also suffer from the same poison, 
and his skin and kidneys feel the effect of this noxious 
gas. If men who are fond of physical exercise would 
only make a study of the physical exercises they take, 
and not try to develop great, large muscles alone, they 
would never meet with the evil effects of exhaustion. 
Nearly every case of overwork is due to an absolute 
disregard of the bodily symptoms which are trying to 
tell the individual not to exercise. The lassitude, inac¬ 
tivity of muscles, indisposition to exercise, irritabil¬ 
ity of mind, poor appetitb, lack of snap, restlessness 


I 20 


Practical Training. 


followed by sleeplessness, persistent loss of weight, head¬ 
ache, pale face, dry throat with slight cough, are the 
symptoms that tell the athlete when he is overworking ; 
but he will not pay attention to these, because they are 
trifling at first, and it is only when they have produced 
disease, or a predisposition thereto, that he begins to 
regard them with a proper respect. I have seen many 
and many a good athlete overlook the symptoms I have 
mentioned, and because overwork and exhaustion did 
not come on instantly he thought they were of no con¬ 
sequence ; but realizing his mistake when it was too 
late, he gave the greatest attention to every symptom 
in detail. 

Many athletes do not believe in such a thing as over¬ 
work, and they argue that they have undergone the 
severest kind of training for three, four, or even five 
years, and have never felt the slightest degree' of that 
excess. If one could but follow these men as years roll 
on I am sure he would find them believing in overwork. 
It is no argument to say that because an athlete has 
never suffered from the effects of overwork, he never 
will. He might argue just as well that he would never 
die, simply because he never had. 

When those who exercise regularly wish to avoid 
the evil effects of overwork, let them consider, care¬ 
fully, the question of rest the moment any symptoms 
I have enumerated begin to make their appearance ; in 
this way they will learn to use excellent judgment, and 
will not suffer. 


Overwork. 


i 2 i 

The words in this chapter are few, yet the chapter 
contains enough to guide anyone, who exercises reg¬ 
ularly, in such a way that he will never subject his 
bodily tissues to the dangers of overwork and exhaus¬ 
tion; and in after years he will escape the diseases which 
so frequently are traceable to overwork. 



CHAPTER X. 


INJURIES. 

I NJURIES sometimes occur to the athlete, while 
training- for one sport or another, and although 
some of these are of little moment, others are so severe 
that they either require a long period of treatment to 
cure them, or in rare cases become incurable. Athletes 
should be careful when they sprain an ankle, injure a 
muscle, suffer from strained ligaments and tendons, 
rupture a blood vessel, injure a nerve, the membrane 
surrounding a joint such as the shoulder, elbow, knee 
or ankle, or break a bone. Many athletes have been 
compelled to retire temporarily, and some permanently, 
from the football field, the diamond or cinder path, 
simply because they did not give immediate care to 
the injury they received during a game or contest. 

Men who occupy the position of pitcher on a base¬ 
ball nine frequently suffer from a strain of the 
membrane covering the elbow joint. Many a pitcher 
has been compelled to retire permanently because he 
attached too little importance to a slight strain, and 
continued to use his arm when it should have been 


Injuries. 


123 


given an immediate and absolute rest, for a period of 
time ranging from two weeks to two years. It is also 
true of men who play football; many are the cases 
of sprained knees that trouble a football player who 
neglects to take proper care of the injury at the time. 
Men who are fond of track athletics and field sports also 
suffer from injuries, which become a constant source of 
annoyance if neglected. 

Fractures occur among all three classes of athletes, 
and should always receive the attention and care of an 
expert surgeon. I have seen one case of fractured bone 
caused, by muscular contraction, in an athlete while 
running the one-hundred-vards dash. A second case of 
fracture, of the humerus, came under my care in a 
student at the University of Pennsylvania, who fractured 
this bone by throwing a baseball. I also treated a third 
case of fracture, of the ribs, due to football playing, but 
this was before the rules had been changed forbid¬ 
ding mass plays. The accident occurred during a mass 
play just after a scrimmage had taken place. All of 
the cases mentioned above recovered completely, and 
might have been avoided had the athletes paid stricter 
and more careful attention to their physical training 
and well-being, instead of exercising spasmodically and 
without any judgment as to the amount of work to 
be taken. 

Ruptures, or “break downs” as they are called by 
trainers, also result from violent efforts, and need care¬ 
ful attention. 


124 


Practical Training. 


Injuries to nerves sometimes follow severe muscular 
exercise, and result in an impairment of muscular con¬ 
traction that greatly lessens the power of locomotion. 

The great mistake athletes of all descriptions make 
after having received an injury of one kind or another, 
is in the treatment of their trouble. Frequently, they 
neglect their injuries entirely, and allow them to grow 
more troublesome, until the affected part becomes per¬ 
manently impaired, or incurable. There is also a class 
of athletes who continue to use the injured part, endeav¬ 
oring to cure their strain, rupture, or contusion, by 
applying a liniment, when the affected part should be 
given an absolute rest. Many athletes err by treating 
an injured member in the above manner, and only dis¬ 
able themselves to a greater extent by endeavoring to 
continue their exercise. Absolute rest in bed, with the 
part in a proper position, for twenty-four or forty-eight 
hours, will often help an injury more than all the addi¬ 
tional treatment any physician or surgeon can prescribe. 

Medication, in conjunction with absolute rest, is of 
vast benefit to the athlete, when troubled with any of 
the foregoing injuries, and will do much toward hasten¬ 
ing a cure. As a rule, an athlete does not like to 
remain in bed, because he imagines the rest is going to 
lower the tone of his general physical condition ; but 
no athlete who is in prime condition can possibly feel 
any marked difference in a day or two, and in a great 
many instances the rest will not only be of lasting 
benefit to the injury he has received, but also to his 


Injuries. 


I2 5 


general physical condition. Should his physical con¬ 
dition be lowered by the period of rest his injury 
has compelled him to take, he will find that he can 
regain his former strength by exercising a little longer 
during the first week after his recovery. 

It is very important to give proper attention to an 
injury the moment it has been received, for by so doing 
a vast amount of time will be saved, and the affected 
part recovers more quickly and thoroughly. 

Injuries that are very slight do not as a rule need a 
doctor, and the only necessity for consulting a physician 
in reference to slight injuries arises when an athlete is 
anxious about his condition prior to competing in an 
important contest. Early advice from a physician is a 
safeguard against the aggravation of all kinds of inju¬ 
ries, and is always the safer plan to pursue. 

When a misfortune of any kind befalls an athlete, 
if rest and rubbing do not cure the trouble quickly, 
that is, in two or three days, a physician should be 
consulted, because a great deal of valuable time will 
be saved, and the doctor’s bill will be much less than 
when the trouble has become chronic. Many athletes 
will not follow, strictly, the advice and treatment of 
the physician after they have consulted him. Let me 
say to my readers that in such a case it is not the fault 
of the physician when the trouble is not cured. 

A grave error sometimes occurs by beginning to 
exercise an injured part too soon. This occurs owing 
to the fact that the athlete can partially use the part 


126 


Practical Training. 


and without great discomfort. He, however, does not 
put the member to a very violent test until the day of 
a contest, and is surprised to find his old complaint 
returns. With such a condition of affairs he learns 
by experience what the doctor has told him, namely, 
that there was danger of bringing back the old trouble 
by using the affected part too soon; and he now 
laments, because he has found that it would have been 
better to have followed the sound advice of a physician, 
which would have enabled him to escape injuring the 
part a second time. 

Athletes will frequently endeavor to exercise when 
they have a lame leg, a crippled arm or shoulder, a 
sprained knee or ankle, or an injured back ; and they 
think they can overcome the trouble by giving the part 
that has been injured a good rub or by applying a 
plaster or a bandage. I have seen many athletes try this, 
and I confess before I studied medicine I did the same 
thing myself after having strained certain muscles. 
All the rubbing, bandages, and liniments I applied, 
which I did most conscientiously, did not cure me. 
The moment, however, I added “ absolute rest ” to the 
above treatment, the improvement was very marked, 
and in about four weeks my thigh muscles, where the 
strain had occurred, were as strong as ever. 

Athletes who have once injured themselves in any 
way should, after recovering from their injury, begin 
their exercise very gradually and with greater caution, 
in order to avoid all possibility of a recurrence of the 


Injuries. 


127 

trouble. More than one athlete has failed to take this 
precaution, and has suffered from a recurrence of the 
injury. Athletes should possess sufficient knowledge to 
treat their own minor troubles, such as slight bruises, 
sprains, and strains ; but no athlete should endeavor to 
treat all of the troubles arising from exercise. 

When a sprain, or in fact any kind of an injury, is 
severe, the athlete should place himself under the care 
of a physician who is thoroughly versed in the best 
methods of treating injuries ; but before taking up the 
treatment of these in detail let me advise all athletes 
to consult a physician in every instance when a bone 
has been broken, or an abscess has formed. Neglect 
in doing this may lead to an ununited fracture, a 
chronic inflammation, or blood poisoning, which are 
troublesome, and require tedious treatment to cure. 

Before taking up the treatment of sprains, strains, 
ruptures, contusions and fractures, it may be well to 
distinguish between the use of the word sprain and 
strain. A sprain is the result of a severe twisting of 
some part of the body, while a strain comes from an 
over-stretching of tissue ; for example, sprains usually 
occur about joints, because these parts have been 
twisted ; strains occur in muscles, because the muscular 
fibres have been over-stretched. 

The word rupture needs no definition, but a rupture 
is not confined to blood vessels alone as many athletes 
suppose. A rupture may take place in the muscles, 
tendons and nerves. 


9 


128 


Practical Training. 


A contusion is when the different tissues have been 
injured by being brought into sudden contact without 
producing an abrasion of the skin. 

Fractures are instances where the bones are broken 
and are of many varieties. The kinds of fracture 
athletes are most commonly subjected to, are either 
simple, i. e ., when the bone is broken into two parts, or 
they are of the incomplete or “ green stick ” kind, in 
which instance the bone is splintered. 

Before enumerating the methods of treatment to be 
followed by athletes who may suffer from one or more 
of the above accidents, I shall say that I do not deem 
it best to mention the treatment of fractures and 
abscesses, because no athlete, unless he has received 
a medical degree and practiced surgery for at least a 
year or two, should attempt to treat such a condition. 
Under no circumstances should one not skilled in 
medicine undertake such a responsibility. 

The specific treatment of the foregoing troubles con¬ 
sists of the following methods, in the order named : 
Rest, which may be complete, i. e ., rest in bed, or incom¬ 
plete, i. e. y allowing the athlete to walk about either 
with a cane or on crutches, according to the severity of 
the case. Should the injury be very slight, it will suffice 
to bandage the part with a bandage made of either 
muslin or rubber. If necessary when the injury is 
situated in either of the lower extremities or both, the 
athlete may rest the part by putting his limbs upon a 
chair at right angles to the body, or higher if desirable. 


Injuries. 


129 


It is also a good plan, when retiring at night, to put a 
pillow or two beneath the covers, at the foot of the bed, 
so as to elevate the limbs and thus assist the venous 
blood back to the heart. It is surprising what a differ¬ 
ence this will make in the time required to cure 
injuries. The application of hot and cold water is also 
of great benefit to sprains, strains, and contusions, and 
hastens the cure. 

In the application of hot and cold water, the athlete 
should use hot water immediately after an injury has 
been received, and it should be as hot as he can stand 
it without injuring the skin. Athletes will be surprised 
to learn how quickly an injured knee, ankle, elbow, or 
shoulder is improved by the immediate application of 
hot water, and how greatly the inflammation about 
the part subsides. A good method in applying hot 
water is to make the water lukewarm at first, and grad¬ 
ually add a little boiling water until that in which 
the member is being bathed becomes very hot. The 
time for allowing an injured part to remain in hot 
water should vary from fifteen to thirty minutes, 
according to the severity of the injury. Hot water 
should not be used after the injury is more than six or 
eight hours old. 

Cold water may also be used, but should never be 
used immediately after a joint or muscle has been 
strained or sprained. It is of greatest benefit after a 
period of about a day. The time allotted to bathing 
the parts should be the same as that allowed for hot 


130 Practical Training. 

water. Cold applications may be used three or four 
times daily if necessary ; but with the use of hot water 
one application will suffice, after which cold water 
should be used. 

After bathing the part a bandage should be applied. 
If the bandage cause discomfort, then it should be 
re-applied, using great caution not to apply it too 
tightly, and being careful to see that each turn of it 
does not wrinkle so as to cause an uneven amount of 
pressure. Uniform pressure is of the utmost impor¬ 
tance in the application of all bandages. Rubber band¬ 
ages are easier to apply in a uniform manner, but are 
more expensive, and the athlete, with a little care and 
practice, can soon learn to apply a muslin bandage 
smoothly, thus saving himself the expense of buying a 
rubber bandage. Rubber lasts longer, does not soil so 
easily, and is very easily washed. The muslin bandages 
vary in width from half an inch to three inches, accord¬ 
ing to the part to be bandaged. Bandages one-half 
inch in width are used for the fingers. For the wrist and 
ankle, from an inch and a half to two inches in width 
will suffice ; while for the knee and shoulder, the width 
should be about two and a half to three inches. If 
abdominal bandages are used, they should be made as 
needed. A more expensive form of support is made in 
the form of silk rubber. This form of support is made 
both of silk and rubber, as its name indicates, and is 
commonly spoken of as a silk bandage, or a silk-rubber 
stocking. The bandage really resembles the leg of a 


Injuries. 


131 

stocking, being about one-quarter or one-third as long. 
This form of bandage, ordinarily, is used for the sup¬ 
port of joint troubles. 

Rubbing is of the greatest value in the treatment 
of injuries. In the treatment of sprains of all parts 
of the body, and especially of those involving the 
joints, rubbing, when correctly applied, has been used 
most successfully. All muscular tissue that will per¬ 
mit of manipulation, readily yields to treatment by rub¬ 
bing, and strains involving this tissue respond most 
favorably. The different joints throughout the body 
respond more quickly to the effects of rubbing accord¬ 
ing to the amount of muscular tissue in their proximity. 
The hip and shoulder joint, while greatly benefited by 
rubbing, do not yield so readily to the effects of the 
treatment as the knee, ankle and elbow ; this is because 
more muscle surrounds the hip and shoulder, and the 
rubber cannot reach the bony structures so readily. 
Rubbing always increases the flow of blood to a part, 
and from this the congestion and exudation, in and 
around the injured part, are pushed outward and 
onward through the vessels known as lymphatics. 

To cure an injury to a joint, the part may be rubbed 
directly over the seat of injury or a little distance 
from it. If the injured joint be rubbed directly over 
the seat of injury, care should be exerted in rubbing 
in order to cause little or no pain to the athlete, 
and to excite the blood current gradually. When 
rubbed at a distance, so much caution is not needed. 


132 


Practical Training. 


Always rub toward the heart— i. e ., in the direction 
the blood is being carried by the veins. Rubbing an 
injured part also assists the nervous supply, and this 
nervous element not only affects the joints or muscles, 
as the case may be, but also the skin covering them. It 
is an excellent plan, when rubbing is to be applied to 
a joint, or a muscle that is tender, swollen and inflamed, 
to begin by rubbing the healthy tissue some distance 
from the seat of trouble. Rub gently, and approach 
the injury gradually. After rubbing a short time the 
pressure of the hands may be increased somewhat, 
being guided in this respect by the comfort of the 
athlete, until deep manipulation is being well applied. 
Kneading may be added to simple stroking; first 
using one for a few minutes, and then the other, 
until there is a marked improvement of the affected 
part. It should be remembered that all athletes can¬ 
not be rubbed alike, and that if gentle stroking pro¬ 
duces discomfort a firm pressure often proves agree¬ 
able and affords relief. The improvement and comfort 
which follow, after an injured part has been rubbed 
properly, can scarcely be believed until an athlete has 
been benefited. 

The vast number of sprains, strains, and bruises 
received by athletes can be cured in from six to ten 
days, when treated properly with rubbing, rest and 
liniments ; and, since these injuries can be cured in so 
short a time, it would lead one to conclude that they 
are not of such serious importance after all. Troubles 


Injuries. 


33 


lasting for a long time from the foregoing injuries 
are, in the vast majority of cases, due to neglect and 
improper treatment. In all acute injuries, arising from 
the causes I have mentioned, rubbing must be applied 
cautiously and gently, lest it act as an irritant instead 
of a sedative, and be more productive of harm than of 
good. Sprains may be rubbed, cautiously, however, 
immediately after they have been received. All joint 
affections, after being rubbed, should have passive 
motion applied— i. e ., another person moving the joint. 
This should be continued cautiously, until there is 
perfect movement in the joint. Each period of time 
allotted for moving the joint should be regulated by 
the athlete himself, according to the sensation of com¬ 
fort or discomfort produced. If there be great dis¬ 
comfort, it will suffice to move the joint a few times, 
once or twice a day. On the other hand, should there 
be no discomfort, then the joint may be moved for five, 
ten or fifteen minutes, two or three times a day. 

Moderate applications of heat and cold may be used 
alternately in conjunction with rubbing in joint affec¬ 
tions, and in a great many cases the addition of a sim¬ 
ple liniment, prescribed by a physician, will add greatly 
to the cure of joint troubles. Scientific rubbing, or 
“massage,” as it is technically called, is of inestimable 
value in some cases of “ water on the knee.” 

Compression, by means of a bandage, after a joint 
has been well rubbed often acts most advantageously 
and should never be forgotten. 


134 


Practical Training. 


Counter-irritants are of great value in some cases 
of sprains and strains, but these, in the great majority 
of cases, should be prescribed by a physician. Appli¬ 
cations of iodine may be made by the athlete, but 
he should remember that one good application is suf¬ 
ficient, and that the iodine should never be applied 
directly over the seat of injury, but around it. Blisters 
should not be used by any athlete, without the advice 
of a physician, since a great deal depends on the 
after-treatment when a blister has been applied. 

Electricity is another means of treating sprains and 
strains, and this should also be given by a physician. 

Liniments are of extreme value in the treatment 
of sprains, strains and bruises. The person using any 
liniment should understand its nature. If the part be 
swollen and inflamed, either in a muscle or joint, a 
soothing lotion, not a liniment, should be used ; on the 
other hand, if the injury has become a chronic one, and 
there is no swelling worth speaking of, then the athlete 
should use a stimulating liniment, such as chloroform 
liniment, soap liniment, or pure chloroform. For ordi¬ 
nary purposes alcohol or whiskey, plain or mixed with 
a little rock-salt, is very good. If the athlete prefers he 
may use pure witch hazel, or dilute this with one- 
half water. Fusel oil is also a very good substance for 
ordinary rubbing purposes. It is nothing more than a 
crude form of alcohol. Its cheapness makes it very 
desirable, costing about one-fourth as much as pure 
alcohol. This may also be diluted, according to circum- 


Injuries. 135 

stances, should it prove too strong and irritating to 
the skin. 

In concluding this chapter I shall enumerate the 
methods of treating the injuries I have been consider¬ 
ing, in the order of their importance ; and if athletes 
will follow this order, with ordinary precaution and 
intelligence, they will be able to cure the great major¬ 
ity of mishaps which befall them. 

1. Rest, either absolute or partial as needed. 

2. Heat, dry or moist, used immediately after an 
injury has been received. 

3. Cold, dry or wet, when the injury is from one to 
three hours old and thereafter. 

4. Rubbing as directed. 

5. Bandaging according to necessity of case. 

6. Lotions and liniments. 

7. Electricity as needed, given by a physician. 

8. Tonics internally, prescribed by no one but a 
physician. 








CHAPTER XI. 


THE SKIN. 

B EFORE considering the skin in its relation to 
exercise and training, it will be necessary to 
explain its construction in order that the athlete may 
understand the necessity of giving especial care to it 
when in training. It is an old saying that “ cleanliness 
is next to Godliness,” which is simply reminding every 
one that there is great necessity for keeping the skin 
clean. Bathing is supposed by many to be the only 
means of cleansing, the skin ; but rubbing also holds a 
very important relation to the hygienic condition of it. 
The skin receives more benefit, when rubbing is added 
to bathing, than if bathing be used alone. Rubbing 
the skin rids it of a great deal of material which, if 
allowed to remain, tends to stop up the glands, result¬ 
ing either in impairment of function or disease. 

Many persons are overtaken by diseases of the skin 
because they neglect to pay proper attention to cleanli¬ 
ness. When cleanliness of the skin is neglected, diseases 
of other organs also frequently follow, because these 
organs are called upon to eliminate the products that 
should be eliminated by the .skin. The care of the skin 


The Skin. 


i37 


is much more important than any athlete realizes. If 
people in general would take a little more care of their 
skin, we should not see so many afflicted with diseases 
of the lungs, kidneys, digestive system and skin. 

In this connection I would also add that care should 
be devoted to the hair, as well, since it is nothing more 
than a modification of skin, and is capable of becoming 
diseased, and transmitting disease, just as the skin 
may do. 

The skin covers the whole external surface of the 
body and protects the tissues beneath it. It is com¬ 
posed of cells and fibres, there being two layers, a 
superficial one and a deep one. The superficial layer 
contains no blood vessels or nerves, and protects the 
deeper layer. The latter contains nerves and blood 
vessels. Injury to this causes pain, as any one will 
attest who has received a severe pinch. Over the whole 
surface of the skin we find little pouches which project 
downward into the skin and are called pores. There 
are tubes of which the pores form the openings, ending 
in two sets of glands, one called sweat glands, the other 
sebaceous. The former carry off perspiration, the 
latter an oily matter. This oily matter serves to lubri¬ 
cate the cells of the skin, and to soften the surface. To 
give the athlete a rough idea of the important part 
played by the pores of the skin, it may be well to spy 
that the number in an average-sized man is said to be 
7,000,000, and since each tube is about a quarter of an 
inch long, the total length of the tubes would be equal 


138 Practical Training. 

to twenty-eight miles. From this it will be seen that a 
great amount of perspiration may be eliminated through 
these tubes, and also the great necessity for keeping 
them open. 

The other glands open into the mouths of hair- 
tubes and secrete oil. The skin, since it has innumerable 
blood vessels running through it, can not be injured in 
any portion of it without causing blood to flow. The 
skin also contains vessels known as “ lymphatics,” 
which carry an absorbing fluid into the interior, after 
which it enters the blood. 

Nerves are also found in the skin, and are supposed 
to regulate heat and cold in the body. Further, there 
are nerves that preside over the nutrition of the skin 
and regulate the blood vessels. These govern the blood 
vessels, causing them either to contract and become 
smaller or to expand and become larger. 

The functions of the skin are five in number. It 
regulates bodily temperature, is an absorbent, acts as a 
protecting agent, performs the function of breathing, 
thus being an aid to the lungs, and assists in the puri¬ 
fication of the blood by eliminating certain substances, 
the chief ones being water, urea, common salt, and car¬ 
bonic acid. 

A reciprocal action also exists between the lungs, 
kidneys, intestines and skin. If the lungs, kidneys or 
intestines do not perform their functions as they should, 
the skin endeavors to assist in the work. Every one 
knows how freely one perspires in the heat of srmmer, 


The Skin. 


i39 


and how much perspiration is eliminated through the 
skin ; while in winter, when it is cold, the kidneys are 
called upon to do the work. The skin also sympathizes 
with the liver, and if the liver does not perform its func¬ 
tions properly, the skin endeavors to assist it. This 
condition is very evident in a person who has ever 
suffered from the effects of jaundice, in which case the 
skin presents a yellowish appearance. 

When proper care is taken of the skin, not only 
are its pores kept clean, but the functions of the skin 
are performed with more exactitude and with greater 
power. Therefore, it is of the greatest importance 
that the skin should be kept clean. The best time to 
cleanse the skin is upon arising in the morning, but 
any time given to this matter is better, by far, than 
neglecting it. 

One of the most common causes of disease is the 
accumulation of dead skin, which remains on the 
surface of the skin and stops up the pores. Again, 
if the oil of the skin be allowed to remain too long 
on it, disease will follow, because this oil becomes 
rancid. 

When treating the skin, it is a good plan to remem¬ 
ber never to bathe when greatly fatigued or chilled, 
because the reaction that should take place will be 
wanting, or feeble at the best, and there is great dan¬ 
ger of further depressing the bodily powers, from which 
rheumatic tendencies, coughs, colds, nervousness and 
indigestion originate. Persons should not bathe their 


140 Practical Training. 

skin when perspiring freely. Bathing should be in¬ 
dulged in after perspiration has ceased and when the 
body is tolerably warm. The rule to go by in regard 
to the care of the skin, in this respect, is to regulate the 
bath by the degree of vigor and exhilaration experi¬ 
enced by the body. As soon as this has taken place, 
the bather should immediately dry his skin with a 
towel, and then rub his whole body from head to foot. 

Many diseases of the skin are directly traceable to 
the clothing worn, hence a certain amount of precau¬ 
tion should be exerted in selecting the texture of the 
material. Rough materials frequently irritate the skin, 
and the color of the garment often leads to dis¬ 
ease. Dark colors absorb more heat than light colors, 
while the latter ones, such as light yellow, white‘and 
gray, offer sufficient protection from the sun’s rays, 
and absorb little or no heat. Clothing should fit 
loosely so that the skin may be more benefited by 
having a greater amount of air come in contact with 
it. Athletes in considering the care of their skin 
should always dress according to the temperature of 
the atmosphere, and not according to the season of 
the year. 

Food has a great deal to do with the care of the 
skin, and many diseases of it are directly traceable to 
undigested food of all kinds. The many eruptions, so 
frequently seen on the faces of such vast numbers of 
persons, are frequently due to a disordered digestion. 
The food being improperly digested, finds its way into 


The Skin. 


141 

the blood, by which it is carried to the skin, causing 
an irritation. This results in pimples, black-heads and 
scales. The influence of the digestive system on the 
skin is of great importance in regulating the condition 
of athletes. Those who suffer with disease of the 
stomach know how their skin is sometimes affected. 

The quality of the food plays a very important part 
in influencing the action of the skin, as well as the 
quantity. A poorly regulated diet, especially in young 
persons, will invariably make its effects felt on the 
skin. The great fault and weakness of most persons 
with their diet is that they eat too much sugar. This 
produces an acidity of the blood which readily irri¬ 
tates the skin and often produces disease. A moderate 
amount, ordinarily, will do no harm. Sugar does not 
contain any nitrogen, and should rarely, if ever, be 
eaten in strict training, because it is nitrogen that 
is needed to impart energy to the athlete’s bodily 
tissues. 

The action of the bowels plays a very important 
part in keeping the skin healthy, and when the athlete’s 
bowels become constipated, the skin suffers greatly. 
When the bowels do not act regularly the skin becomes 
poisoned with the products of intestinal indigestion. 
These products are absorbed by the blood, and, finding 
their way to the skin, affect it. Athletes, as well as 
other persons, should cultivate the habit of evacuating 
their bowels regularly. When this has been acquired 
the skin will not suffer. It is surprising how many 


142 


Practical Training. 


people neglect their bowels even when nature endeav¬ 
ors to tell them that the bowels should be attended to. 

The skin is not the only part of the body that suffers 
from inattention to the bowels. The liver and kidneys 
also feel the effects of constipation, and the brain, alas, 
too frequently suffers, making the individual conscious 
of a headache that might be avoided if the bowels 
had not been neglected. 

Frequently diseases of the hair result from lack 
of attention to the skin, and we see one’s head full 
of dandruff, scales, and even scabs, which cover the 
whole of the scalp. The diseases of the hair are in 
many instances directly traceable to a want of clean¬ 
liness, and this is often brought about by the fact 
that a great many persons imagine they will take 
cold if they wash their heads. Dandruff, which usually 
results from a want of proper washing of the head, is 
accompanied by a thinning of the hair and itching^ 
which is very annoying. Most people usually go to the 
barber to get an occasional shampoo for this trouble. 
This cleanses the scalp for a time, but, unless the 
individual is careful thereafter to give the proper 
amount of care and attention to his hair, the disease 
will return. No greater mistake is made than permit¬ 
ting “ hair-oils ” to be used by the barber upon the 
hair, because these oils frequently stop up the hair 
follicles, and in addition to this the natural oil of the 
skin cannot perform its function and becomes rancid, 
thus aggravating the trouble. 


The Skin. 


i43 


The empiric use of hair washes, and hair tonics also, 
produces diseases of the hair and scalp, because these 
washes are often too stimulating in their nature, and 
produce inflammations which lead to disease. 

No person whether an athlete or not, suffering 
either with a disease of his skin or his hair, should 
allow a quack to treat him, because more harm than 
good will result, and the disease may become chronic, 
at which stage it will either be incurable or take a 
much longer time to cure than it would had a physi¬ 
cian been consulted. 

Another disease due to a .want of cleanliness of the 
skin, and one that is frequently met with, is ringworm. 
This is a cause of baldness, is extremely annoying, and 
in addition is contagious, being most easily transmitted 
to persons who neglect to keep their hair and skin 
clean. Much anxiety is attached to it when a person 
is afflicted, and frequently the nervous strain thrown 
upon the person has a very marked constitutional 
result. The discomfort caused by the itching of the 
head brought about by uncleanliness is far from pleas¬ 
ant, and when the itching has advanced to any marked 
degree the person’s sufferings are often extreme and 
intolerable. 

There are numerous other diseases due to a lack of 
proper hygienic care of the skin, but I do not feel that 
they come within the scope of this short chapter. I 
have mentioned only those diseases most commonly 

found among athletes, and I may add that all of them 
10 


144 


Practical Training. 


may be avoided by remembering that they are chiefly 
produced by dirt. 

If proper care be taken of one’s skin and hair, the 
body acquires a better aptitude for warding off diseases, 
and the individual enjoys good health especially when 
sufficient exercise has been taken to stimulate all of 
the functions and tissues. Exercise without care of 
the skin and hair often produces diseases of the skin, 
because the waste products which should be washed 
from the skin, stick to it and fill up the pores, impair¬ 
ing its functions, finally leading to or producing diseases 
of it or some other part of the body. 

Soaps often produce diseases of the skin because 
they are too irritating, and I would advise those who 
wish to avoid any trouble from such to use a little 
care in their selection. Should a soap make the skin 
red and scaly it contains too much alkali, is too hard, 
and should be discontinued. For my own purpose I 
have always found that a good Castile soap would 
answer. This may not answer every case, but as a 
general rule any soap that is not irritating or does 
not give the skin a shriveled and scaly appearance 
after using it, will suit the purpose. Athletes in 
using soap should be very careful to see that the skin 
is thoroughly washed after its use, so that the pores 
may not be stopped up. A neglect of this may often 
produce disease by impairing the functions of the 
pores. 


CHAPTER XII. 


TRAINING IN GENERAL. 



HE contents of this chapter may be applied, in a 


1 general way, to the training of an athlete for any 
kind of a contest for which he wishes to condition 
his body. Hints will also be given where the athlete 
desires to train for special events such as running, 
jumping, walking, basketball, football, etc. 

If a person wishes to train for a contest of any kind, 
he should always ask himself the following questions : 
Have I the strength of constitution to endure a course of 
training ? Do I possess the will power to train faithfully ? 
What kind of exercise do I need ? How much do I 
need ? Are there any parts of my body which should 
be systematically developed prior to going into strict 
training ? What is the most suitable time for exercis¬ 
ing ? What should be the nature of the contest for 
which I intend to train ? Is it possible to train for 
more than one kind of a contest at one time ? How 
long will it take me to get into condition ? What dan¬ 
gers am I exposing myself to ? How can I avoid these ? 
How long will it take me to accomplish what I desire ? 
Am I addicted to any habit that must be given up ? 


4 6 


Practical Training. 


Every person who desires to train for any contest 
should, at the outset, undergo a rigid medical examina¬ 
tion so as to be sure he is not afflicted with some 
weakness, or organic trouble such as heart disease, 
lung trouble, kidney complaint or nervous debility; and 
under no condition should a person enter a contest of 
any kind unless he is well trained. 

If the foregoing precautions be taken, systematic 
work be prescribed and conscientiously followed, no evil 
results will manifest themselves, and the athlete will 
also obtain a good strong, healthy constitution which 
will be of great benefit to him in after life. 

If, on the other hand, he does not adhere strictly to 
the laws governing his exercise, he may injure his 
health to such an extent that he will suffer ever after. 

Let me warn the athlete who trains and dissipates 
at the same time, not to do so, because he will break 
down and inevitably be overtaken, sooner or later, by 
disease ; I have seen it happen. But I have yet to see 
or hear of the first death which can be traced directly 
to the effects of training upon an athlete who strictly 
obeyed the laws governing a systematic course of 
training ; and this , statement will carry additional 
weight when I add that I have seen over five thousand 
contests, including running, jumping, walking, bicycle 
riding, hurdle racing, putting the shot, throwing the 
hammer, pole-vaulting, football games, rowing, base¬ 
ball, tennis, fencing, boxing, cricket, handball and bas¬ 
ketball. 


Training in General. 


i47 


If parents were aware of the true causes of disease 
in their sons, a greater number of young men would be 
allowed to train for athletic contests, instead of being 
forbidden, because training has a great tendency to 
keep young men from indulging in dissipation and 
associating with immoral companions. 

All athletes who enter a contest of any kind shoald 
remember that the brain plays a most important part, 
and those who use their wits in conjunction with their 
muscles and nerves are the ones who win. A great 
deal depends on using one’s wits, or in other words 
the brain, at the right time, and many a contest is lost 
because the athlete does not grasp his opportunity at 
the proper moment. 

Every athlete who wishes to become a champion 
should have his wits about him always, because if he 
has not he will lose many a contest he might other¬ 
wise have won. Further than this, all persons who train 
should do so with an unlimited amount of determina¬ 
tion, or “grit,” as it is called, for it is the very means 
of grasping a victory from an opponent when defeat 
seems certain. 

The athlete who enters a contest, after training faith¬ 
fully, and who is in proper condition, with the determi¬ 
nation to “do or die,” is the one that succeeds in the 
great majority of cases, unless he is entirely out¬ 
classed. No athlete should ever allow himself to be 
influenced by what he hears about other competitors 
and their doings. These reports are, very frequently, 


148 Practical Training. 

brought to his ears for no other reason than to excite 
him, and if he allows himself to become excited it will 
diminish his chances of winning. When competitors or 
their friends try to “ rattle ” or “ queer ” you by talking 
to you, simply come to the conclusion that you are the 
one they are afraid of. No matter what happens, keep 
a cool head. 

Every athlete who trains, no matter what the nature 
of the contest may be, should always seek to develop 
every part of his body so that he will be symmetrical, 
that is, the muscles of both upper extremities should 
be equal in strength and development, as well as those 
of both lower extremities. Those covering the chest, 
abdomen, back and loins should also receive special 
attention ; and the most marked importance should be 
attached to the development of the heart and lungs, 
because the “ staying power ” of the athlete depends 
greatly on these organs, and the more thoroughly 
they are developed the better will the endurance of 
the contestant be. 

The prime object in all contests, where training is 
required, is to get the athlete into a condition so that 
his body may be able to accomplish a feat which calls 
for all the energy he possesses. In other words, it is 
perfecting the organism so as to obtain a high degree 
of activity and endurance. 

All athletes, after exercising for some weeks or 
months, learn that the conformation of the different 
parts of their body undergoes modification, although 


Training in General. 149 

there is no material change in the structure of the dif¬ 
ferent tissues. 

Every athlete, when training, should endeavor to 
acquire a certain kind of temperament which will be 
capable of furnishing an aptitude possessing the power 
of readily adapting itself to changing conditions. 

While an athlete is in training, his powers of strength 
and endurance are greatly increased ; but these begin 
to disappear the moment his training ceases, and, after 
three or four months, have disappeared almost entirely, 
the muscles, nerves and lungs retaining a small portion 
of the power gained. 

To keep in condition one must exercise continually, 
and after once getting into condition the greatest care 
must be taken so that the athlete may not overtrain 
and become “stale.” The condition of an athlete when 
training depends upon his becoming accustomed to 
exercise, and the class of athletes whose occupation calls 
for a great amount of muscular exertion do not need 
such vigorous training as those whose occupation calls 
for little or no muscular expenditure. 

The benefits derived from training are astonishing 
when the auxiliary conditions of bathing, diet, rubbing, 
sleep and good ventilation are added. 

A great many athletes imagine they must neces¬ 
sarily lose a certain amount of weight when training. 
This is not the case, and frequently only applies to ath¬ 
letes who are of a nervous temperament. These ath¬ 
letes, as a rule, lose a few pounds in weight, usually 


150 Practical Training. 

from six to ten, provided they do not possess a super¬ 
abundance of adipose, or fatty, tissue, in which case the 
loss will be greater. On the other hand, some athletes 
gain in weight when in training. This is due to the 
fact that their muscles readily assimilate substances 
which build up muscular tissue, these materials being 
obtained from the food which is eaten. 

All classes of athletes should remember that it is of 
paramount importance to keep one’s mind in a tranquil 
state when training for a contest, or during a compe¬ 
tition of any kind, because the nervous disturbances 
caused by a turbulent mental condition may so upset 
the whole constitution .of the athlete that defeat will 
inevitably follow. A disturbed mind not only affects 
the contracting power of the muscles, but also causes 
the heart-beats to become accelerated and irregular. 
The lungs feel the effects of it, and respiration is by no 
means so rhythmical and perfect. The kidneys suffer 
from mental worry. The spinal cord and nerves lead¬ 
ing to the muscles are so greatly impaired by the men¬ 
tal changes which take place, that an undue amount 
of nervous energy is wasted, which lessens the athlete’s 
chances of winning to a great extent. 

The consideration of food suitable for training has 
received due attention in the chapter on diet. No one 
will deny that an increase and an accumulation of 
energy result from training when a proper regulation 
of diet is used. The idiosyncrasies of each person 
should always be respected when prescribing a diet, 


Training in General. 151 

lest more harm than good be done by producing an 
irritable disposition. It is an old saying that “what is 
one man’s meat is another man’s poison ; ” but certain 
kinds of diet can be used in training which will benefit 
a great majority of athletes, and enable them to accom¬ 
plish better results than if they exercise without regard 
for the food they eat. Diet in training is used to add 
to the tissues which do the work, that is, the brain, 
spinal cord, nerves and muscles ; and to cause the dis¬ 
appearance of all tissues which are of no value. 

The chief substance which should be burned up 
by the body and made to disappear when one goes 
into training is fat, because, not only is it a great 
hindrance from its weight, but it is also the cause of 
a waste of energy. All fat persons should get rid of 
this substance, as quickly as possible, without bring¬ 
ing an undue strain upon their system. Running, 
bathing, and proper diet will soon cause this to dis¬ 
appear. 

A very important fact is that few, if any, per¬ 
sons can undergo the same amount of training, either 
in degree or kind, in order to accomplish the same 
result. If a thin, nervous person were to adopt the 
same kind and amount of training that a muscular 
giant employed, the result would be overwork and 
exhaustion, which often so injures one’s constitution 
that diseases such as consumption, heart disease, 
nervous dyspepsia, typhoid fever, intermittent fever, 
and nervous debility, follow. Training should invari- 


152 


Practical Training. 


ably be regulated by the temperament of the athlete, 
the strength of his constitution, his age, and habits. 

If a person has inherited a good, strong, robust 
constitution so much care is not necessary as where 
one is dealing with a constitution which is healthy, 
but weak. * In either case it is safe to be extremely 
careful, and obey the laws of training. It should be 
remembered that the object of training is to get an 
amount of energy out of the human machine which 
will enable the athlete to perform his task in a manner 
that will make him superior to all other competitors. 

Athletes who wish to train for different athletic 
sports, cannot be impressed too strongly with the fact 
that ohe is rarely if ever able to attain championship 
form in a short time. This is because it requires a 
great deal of practice to teach the chief parts of the 
body which are used, to act in perfect harmony with 
each other, namely : the heart, lungs, brain, spinal 
cord, nerves, and muscles. 

People who have been accustomed to exercise the 
greater part of their life may train harder than those 
who have not. If a person has not indulged in exercise 
in childhood, boyhood, and early manhood, he should 
spend two or three years in developing a symmetrical 
body, under a competent teacher of physical education, 
with proper medical guidance, before beginning a strict 
course of training. 

No person who is under eighteen years of age 
should engage in strict and severe training unless he 


Training in General. 


*53 


has been accustomed to exercise all his life, and even 
then he should be extremely careful not to overdo the 
matter, lest disease may follow. 

One should be especially careful between the ages 
of fourteen and eighteen, because growth and develop¬ 
ment are very rapid during this period of life, and these 
call for an additional amount of bodily energy. 

During a contest never lose sight of the fact that 
your competitors are just as tired as you are,—perhaps 
more tired,—and no matter what happens, always finish 
a contest, even if you are the last man. I have seen 
many a victory won, by following the above advice, by 
athletes who just managed to defeat their opponent in 
the last stride, when it seemed as if they themselves 
would be defeated. 

If an athlete possesses a good heart, a good pair of 
lungs, and good muscular development, he is sure to 
do well in training, especially when a great amount of 
nervous energy is added to a level head. 

One may have a great deal of nervous energy but 
may not know how to use it, and hence I have added 
the factor of a level head, because without this, results 
in contests will often be negative. I should advise all 
persons who train to remember that being defeated by 
a competitor once, twice, or a greater number of times, 
does not mean that the competitor will always defeat 
them. I well remember seeing Mr. Davis of Harvard, 
defeat Mr. Taylor of the same college and class during 
freshman, sophomore and junior year in the two-mile 


J 54 


Practical Training. 


bicycle race at the inter-collegiate games in New 
York city, while in senior year Mr. Taylor carried off 
first prize. This is one of many cases I might quote. 
Remember that patience and perseverance conquer all 
things. 

I have often been asked why one athlete will defeat 
another, and while the question is sometimes puzzling, 
the following causes will be found to be true in the 
great majority of cases. One athlete may be older 
than another. This applies between the ages of four¬ 
teen and twenty-two or twenty-four. He may have 
trained longer and a greater number of times than 
another, or may be slightly over-trained or slightly 
under-trained. He may be nervous when his opponent 
is cool, confident and collected. One competitor may 
have greater grit and better judgment than another, 
or may be more regular in his training, and his moral 
habits may also be purer. Man’s moral nature should 
never be abused, especially while training, and dissi¬ 
pating should be looked upon as a crime. 

If athletes who train only realized how much 
importance should be given to everything governing 
training, and especially to habits, many records would 
be made and many victories won by men who have 
never been better than third-rate athletes. 

While training it is best to keep out of the night air, 
because it is damper, and the impurities and poisonous 
materials which are eliminated through the lungs are 
more easily exhaled in a dry air than in a damp one. 


Training in General. 


55 


Under no conditions should a person compete just 
after finishing a meal, because the food which has been 
eaten will not receive a sufficient amount of blood to 
digest it thoroughly; the blood, being called for by the 
muscles, is taken away from the digestive organs and 
these organs suffer greatly. 

In all contests and even during daily practice, it is 
best to compete or exercise from three and a half to 
five hours after eating. In so doing a sufficient time 
has been given for the digestion of food, and one 
also eliminates the possibility of vomiting, which often 
occurs when an athlete disregards the laws governing 
digestion. If you must compete shortly after eating, 
eat a light luncheon. One should always eat slowly 
whether training or not, so that an undue amount of 
energy may not be called for by the digestive organs 
to break up the foods which have not been thoroughly 
masticated. Solid foods should be of a quality requir¬ 
ing a minimum amount of mastication. 

Never run too many trials when training ; once a 
week is often enough, and, in some cases, too often. 

Every system of scientific training should have a 
fourfold object : (a), to increase the muscular and nerv¬ 
ous strength of the individual; (b), to develop the 
power of precision, forethought, perseverance, decision, 
patience, self-control, judgment and self-denial ; (£*), to 
increase the power of resisting fatigue by strengthen¬ 
ing the heart and lungs ; (d ), to gain an instinctive 
knowledge of the total amount of energy one possesses, 


156 Practical Training. 

so as to enable him to use it in the proper way and at 
the proper time. 

There are hundreds of athletes who train for years 
and are never successful, because they have never made 
a thorough study of the objects I have enumerated. If 
more persons who train would not take their exercise 
in a mechanical way, but would make a study of them¬ 
selves and scientific training, I am sure America would 
produce more athletes like Wefers, Chase, Fitzpatrick, 
Conneff, Sweeney, Bremer, Mitchell, Gray, Bucholtz, 
L. E. Myers and Frank Murray. 

There is no reason why America should not out¬ 
class every nation on the face of the globe, because she 
is the most progressive of all countries, and her scien¬ 
tific advancement in training for all kinds of sports 
has been phenomenal during the last decade. Her ath¬ 
letes in the last ten years have equaled and, in many 
instances, surpassed records made by athletes in vari¬ 
ous countries, and for some events American athletes 
have the honor of holding the best records in the 
world. 

When an athlete wishes to make a record, he should 
always observe, if possible, the best men against whom 
he intends to compete, and even train with them when 
practicable. In so doing, he will not only learn their 
methods, but will also gain greater confidence in him¬ 
self, which will be of inestimable value when entering 
an open competition. Every person who trains should 
make a study of his muscles, because as soon as he 


Training in General. 


57 


has complete power of contracting and relaxing them 
in proper rhythm, he has conserved a large amount of 
energy, and has gained a power that will enable him 
to perform his feat more easily and gracefully than 
ever before. No athlete should be discouraged if he 
does not learn quickly how to do this, for all the labor 
and thought he gives to it will be more than repaid 
to him by the improvement he is sure to make. 

Boys should never be allowed to train so long, hard, 
or strictly as men, on account of the difference in their 
age, strength, growth and development. 

Light training will strengthen the constitution of 
boys if properly prescribed and carried out, while too 
severe training often leads to serious constitutional 
diseases. The kind and amount of exercise an athlete 
should take when training for a contest is materially 
regulated by the nature of the contest. 

When considering the amount of work required 
for any contest, special care and attention should be 
given to three important factors : the nervous sys¬ 
tem, the respiratory apparatus, which should be trained 
so that it will give a rhythmical co - ordination of 
movement, and the muscles. It frequently happens 
that men are possessed of strong muscular ability 
and show wonderful muscular development, yet when 
an exercise is prescribed calling for breathing power, 
a marvelous disproportion manifests itself between 
respiration and muscular work, and the athlete finds 
he is unable to endure even a moderate amount of 


Practical Training. 


158 

fatigue. In fact he cannot run half a mile at an ordi¬ 
nary pace without becoming winded. On the other 
hand, the athlete who is possessed of good breath¬ 
ing power and has only ordinary muscular ability can 
run four or five miles at a fair pace without experi¬ 
encing the slightest degree of fatigue. Some ath¬ 
letes become so nervous that muscular contraction is 
greatly diminished and breathlessness begins, in a 
minor degree, before they have started to compete. 
All athletes of this class should strive to overcome such 
a condition, and may accomplish it by persistent deter¬ 
mination and practice. If an athlete once possesses 
good control over his nervous system, and a good lung 
capacity in conjunction with well-developed muscles, he 
is sure to accomplish wonderful results. 

Frequently athletes train for different events, such 
as running, walking, boxing, rowing, jumping, etc., 
regardless of symmetrical development. Many athletes 
who run, walk, ride a bicycle, and jump, have a tre¬ 
mendous development in their lower extremities, while 
their upper extremities, chest, and back, present a hid¬ 
eous picture, because they are undeveloped. These ath¬ 
letes imagine that nothing but their legs should be 
developed, and they argue that such should be the case 
because their legs are employed to a greater extent than 
any other part of their body. A great fallacy exists in 
this belief, and I am upheld by scientific knowledge in 
saying that the arms, chest, and back play as important 
a part as the legs when I quote such men as Mr. William 


Training in General. 


59 


Byrd Page, who at one time held the world’s record 
for the running high jump, namely, 6 feet 4 inches. 
He has often told me his arms, chest and back helped 
him over the bar, as much as his legs. Another man 
who was very symmetrically developed was Mr. Win¬ 
chester Osgood, who at one time held the collegiate 
record in the two-mile bicycle race. Mr. Everett J. 
Wendell, of Harvard, Mr. Harry Brooks, of Yale, and 
Mr. Luther Carey, of Princeton, were beautifully built 
athletes whose records are well known. I quote these 
instances, and I could quote many more, to show how 
essential it is to develop every part of the body. In 
fact, it may be laid down as a law that unless the body 
is developed symmetrically there will be more or less 
weakness in one or more parts of it. 

While training for any given contest exercise should 
be taken gently, slowly, and in small amounts in the 
beginning, and gradually increased. In this way one 
will never overdo the matter, or subject himself to 
strains, fractures, sprains and ruptures, which may occur 
when these considerations are disregarded. I have 
seen two cases of fractures resulting from a sudden 
use of the muscles when they were not well trained: 
one a fracture of the body bone, or pelvis, the part 
broken being the right anterior superior spine ; the 
second case was a fracture of the right internal condyle 
of the humerus. 

When training for a contest, for the first time, at 
least twelve weeks should be allowed for preparation, so 


160 Practical Training. 

that the body may have plenty of time to educate each 
tissue to do its work properly, and to the fullest extent. 
If the above number of weeks be allowed, and the 
work be taken as it should, no evil results are likely to 
follow, even when an athlete enters the severest kind 
of a contest. Some trainers and athletes believe that 
six weeks is long enough to allow one to get into con¬ 
dition for a contest. This may apply if an athlete has 
been trained before. It is by no means the best plan, 
however, to allow too short a period, not only from 
a scientific standpoint, but because experience proves 
that the body maintains its condition better when the 
process is not accelerated. If we look at the time 
required for training, no one will deny that twelve 
weeks will enable one to get into condition with little 
or no strain, while six will call for a greater expendi¬ 
ture of energy in half the time. 

Again, some athletes are so constituted that it is 
not possible for them to get into condition in less than 
twelve weeks under the severest training. If an ath¬ 
lete has trained for several years—spring, summer and 
fall, and perhaps in winter—at stated intervals, then he 
may be able to get into condition in six or eight weeks; 
but this is not always the case, and is no criterion 
to go by. I have mentioned twelve weeks because it 
will apply in the great majority of cases. The twelve 
weeks may be divided into the following periods : 
first three, second three, third three, and fourth three. 
During my ten years of active, practical athletic work, 


Training in General. 161 

I utilized these periods of three weeks as follows: 
during the first three I would take very gentle exer¬ 
cise daily, except Sunday, remembering to work all parts 
of my body, bathing once a day, a few minutes after 
exercising, after which I dried myself well with a towel 
and rubbed my skin well with flesh brushes, so as to 
give proper tone to' it. Then my whole body was 
bathed with alcohol gradually, and I was rubbed thor¬ 
oughly until the skin was perfectly dry and the circula¬ 
tion throughout it good. The exercises I indulged in 
during the first three weeks consisted of gymnastic 
work and running slowly, regulating the distance 
according to my feelings and the condition of my 
wind. 

The second three weeks the same course was pur¬ 
sued, increasing the severity of the exercises a trifle. 
The third three weeks the work was increased so as to 
compel me to expend about three-quarters of the total 
amount of energy I possessed. The last three weeks I 
would expend about seven-eighths of my total amount 
of energy, thus keeping well within my bodily powers. 
The exception to be made to this rule is when an athlete 
is desirous of making a “ trial ” of his ability. I will 
speak more in detail of this later on. 

Once for all let me say, when training for any kind 
of a contest, no matter whether it be track athletics, 
football, boxing or rowing, that long-distance running, 
such as from two to five miles, is by far the best exer¬ 
cise for cultivating wind and endurance. Auxiliary 


162 


Practical Training. 


exercises such as dumb-bells, club-swinging, the use of 
chest-weights, the traveling-rings and punching-bag, 
may be taken to develop different groups of muscles, 
but these in themselves usually do not give sufficient 
work to the heart and lungs. 



CHAPTER XIII. 


RUNNING IN GENERAL. 

I F an athlete is training for a distance varying from 
one hundred yards to one mile, his speed must be 
regulated accordingly. Short distance or “ sprint ” run¬ 
ning, as it is called, should be practiced with distance 
running, to give the athlete both speed and endurance. 
Speed may be cultivated by running distances varying 
from fifty to three or four hundred yards, while endur¬ 
ance is acquired by running from three to five miles. 
After an athlete has once gained a sufficient amount of 
endurance, he may devote all of his time to sprinting. 
Athletes who run very short distances (i. e., from one 
hundred yards to four hundred and forty yards) can, as 
a rule, acquire enough endurance for these distances by 
running a little further occasionally. 

No athlete can ever pay too much attention to sprint 
running. The faster he can sprint the more speed he 
acquires and the more perfectly he trains his whole 
nervous system. It is an excellent plan to rest a whole 
day before a contest, and in some instances, where 
endurance is an important factor, such as long-distance 
races, e. g., a mile and upward, wrestling, football, 


J.64 


Practical Training. 


rowing, etc., three or even four days’ rest will be of 
immense benefit to the athlete. Do not fail to take a 
bath and be rubbed during the days you are resting, 
unless they tend to make you feel languid. When an 
athlete is on the “wire-edge” of condition he should 
remember that he needs very little exercise to keep him 
in prime condition, and the moment he feels that his 
muscles do not react well, he should rest for a few days. 
No athlete should ever worry about his condition when 
he is well trained. A rest of a few days cannot possibly 
do any harm, but overwork continued even for one day 
may be sufficient to cause defeat. 

POSITION, PACE AND STRIDE. 

Athletes who run, rarely, if ever, study a means of 
locomotion by which they may get the greatest amount 
of progression with a maximum velocity and a minimum 
expenditure of bodily energy. 

The position one should assume when running, 
no matter what the distance may be, is as follows : the 
arms, or more properly speaking, the upper extremities, 
should be used chiefly from the shoulder, with precision, 
and be taught to swing in harmony with the legs, or 
lower extremities; the right arm moving with theleft leg, 
and the left arm with the right leg, in order to maintain 
perfect balance and assist speed. The trunk and head 
should be allowed to assume their natural position, 
which, if a person carries himself properly, will be in 
the erect posture, or nearly so. Never lean forward. 


Running in General. 165 

All distances under and including one mile should 
be run upon the toes, while distances over one mile 
should be run upon the ball of the foot, or the part just 
back of the toes. 

Runners should put their feet out in front of them 
in a perfectly straight line, making the advancing step 
with one foot when the other is directly beneath the 
body, keeping each arm in its relative position and the 
legs close together, in order to concentrate their energy. 

Never kick your heels up behind you, that is behind 
the axis of your body, because it will be a loss of loco¬ 
motion and also of time. As one progresses, alighting 
first on one set of toes and then upon the other, or ball 
of the foot, as the case may be, great care should be 
exercised in coming down upon the ground lightly. If 
attention be paid to this the body will escape a great 
deal of unnecessary jarring, which is of extreme value 
to the muscles and nerves. Too much attention cannot 
be paid to the position of the body and the mode of 
locomotion in running, since these are of prime impor¬ 
tance in assisting the human machine to get the greatest 
amount of speed out of it with the least amount of 
waste and resistance. 

This position is the one used by all first-class ath¬ 
letes. Occasionally one will meet an athlete who has 
an awkward gait, and who runs very well; but what 
might he have done if in the first place he had acquired 
a mode of progression based on scientific principles ? 
When an athlete has an awkward way of running, and 


i66 


Practical Training. 


has been accustomed to it for years, it is best for him 
not to change, because in trying to learn a new way of 
running he may spoil his speed entirely. 

The athlete should aim to run easily and gracefully, 
remembering never to hold a single part of the body in 
a rigid state, except in “ spurting.’ The muscles of the 
body constantly should be educated to contract and 
relax with little or no effort, which can be done by 
co-ordinating the movement properly, and the energy 
thus conserved will be useful when one desires to 
increase his pace. 

Pace is a thing which takes the keenest judgment, 
and often requires years of experience to master it. 
Many athletes would improve greatly if they only knew 
how to judge their pace. The knowledge of pace can be 
acquired by trying to run certain distances in a fixed 
time, such as a quarter-mile in fifty-eight seconds, fifty- 
six seconds, fifty-five seconds, or faster ; a half-mile 
in two minutes and five or two minutes and ten 
seconds; a mile in four minutes and forty seconds, four 
minutes and fifty seconds, or five minutes. Where one 
desires to run any distance in very fast time, such as 
ioo yards in ten seconds, 220 yards in twenty-two 
seconds, a quarter of a mile in forty-eight or fifty 
seconds, a half-mile in one minute and fifty-five or fifty- 
six seconds, a mile in four minutes and twenty or thirty 
seconds, the .strictest attention must be given to pace. 

By stride is meant the distance covered in each 
step. A good stride is one which will cover about 


Running in General. 


167 


seven feet, seven feet two inches, seven feet four inches, 
or seven feet six inches. It is a great mistake to over¬ 
stride, because in so doing an unnecessary amount of 
energy is wasted, and fatigue comes on more quickly. 
If one is able to stride seven feet at first, he is doing 
well, and it is best to increase the stride by inches, so 
that one may gradually become accustomed to it. In 
this way a good stride may be attained without unduly 
taxing the muscles or wasting energy. Never endeavor 
to accommodate your stride to that of another com¬ 
petitor, because it will not only spoil your own pace, 
but will also change the rhythm of your movement, 
which will completely upset your calculations, by inter¬ 
fering with your heart, lungs, and nervous system. 

An improvement in speed most commonly manifests 
itself in athletes after they have reached the age of 
twenty-one. After this there is little improvement 
until the age of twenty-three, when a further improve¬ 
ment occurs; and from this time until the athlete reaches 
the age of forty he will be at his best. After this age, 
bodily tissue is not so strong, and he will not do .so well. 
Light exercise should be taken, and nothing more. 

Too much walking should not be indulged in by the 
athlete who is keeping himself in condition by other 
exercise, as it is apt to produce slight overwork, and 
lead to staleness. 

Never become frightened or disheartened by being 
passed by one of your competitors, because he usually 
expends all the energy he possesses to get past you 


68 


Practical Training. 


and is likely to be overtaken by you if you only stick to 
your work with unflinching determination. 

It is an excellent plan to lie down, flat on the back, 
for ten or fifteen minutes before entering a competi¬ 
tion, being careful not to lie down in a damp place, or 
on anything damp, because it will stiffen the muscles. 
The whole morning may also be spent, on a sofa at 
home, in the same way, unless the race be run in heats, 
in which case matters of rest will have to be adjusted 
accordingly. 

Another good thing to remember just before entering 
a contest is to take from six to ten deep, full breaths, in 
order to change the air completely in the lungs. This 
will defer the onset of breathlessness. 

Also have your trainer give you a gentle rub and jog 
up and down the track for about fifty yards, so as to 
warm up and bring your muscles into action. 

In all races toe the mark the last man. By so doing 
you will not be compelled to remain on the scratch, or 
mark, so long as other competitors. If other com¬ 
petitors should also be up to this point, then walk to 
the mark with them, but do so a little more slowly, 
and in this way you can manage to “ toe the mark ” 
last. When once on the mark, assume the position you 
have practiced in training, doing so with the deter¬ 
mination to remain perfectly still until the moment the 
pistol is fired ; then start as quickly as possible. 

Do not try to “ steal on the pistol,” i. e., start before 
the pistol is fired, because you may be penalized a yard 


Running in General. 


169 


or two for such an attempt, or be disqualified. More¬ 
over, you are only cheating yourself by endeavoring 
to steal a yard or two, and should you be successful 
now and then it only handicaps you in subsequent 
contests. 

Athletes who run short distances should practice start- 
ing a great deal, in order that they may be able to get 
under way quickly. This is of the greatest importance. 
The positions mostly used in starting are three in num¬ 
ber. The one which is, perhaps, most frequently used 
at present is the crouching position. This is as follows : 
if the competitor be right-handed he puts his left foot 
on the mark, so that his toes just come to it; then 
he puts both hands on the mark by kneeling, his 
right foot being fixed firmly in a small hole directly 
underneath his right buttock. This position may be 
reversed, and is used especially in sprint races. 

The second position is a standing position, and is as 
follows : the mark is toed as before and the small hole 
is made as in the first position, but the competitor does 
not kneel; he allows the weight of the body to come 
upon the left foot, which is the one on the mark, while 
the right occupies a small hole a foot or two behind 
him, his right knee being slightly bent in order to give 
him a good push when the pistol is fired. The arms 
are stretched out full length, or nearly so, the right 
being in front and nearly at a right angle to the body, 
thus assisting the left foot in balancing the trunk, while 
the left arm is held in the same position behind the 


Practical Training. 


170 

body and assists the right foot. This position reversed 
applies to a left-handed athlete. 

The third position is one in which both hands are 
held behind the body, on one side, either to the right or 
left, the feet assuming their position as before, accord¬ 
ing to the desire of the person, that is, whether right 
or left handed, both arms being thrown forward when the 
competitor starts. This position is rarely used now, and 
does not seem to me to be a good one. 

A general rule which may be followed is to assume 
the position in starting, which is most natural. The 
starting position for athletes who walk is the second 
position, but in case of walking, it is not necessary for 
the walker to dig a small hole in the ground, because 
his shoes differ. 

It is a good plan to bandage the legs and arms, so as 
not to interfere with the circulation of blood, for a few 
hours during the morning of the day you intend to 
compete, in order to give them an additional rest, and 
to lie down after the legs are bandaged. 


PART II 


TRAINING FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, INCLUDING TRACK 
ATHLETICS, FIELD SPORTS, BICYCLING, 
FOOTBALL, AND BASKET-BALL. 



















LIST OF EVENTS. 


One hundred yards dash, - - (ioo yds. dash) 
Two hundred and twenty yards dash, (220 yds. dash) 
Three hundred yards dash, . - - (300 yds. dash) 

Four hundred and forty yards dash, (440 yds. dash) 
Four hundred and forty yards relay race, (440 yds. relay) 
Six hundred and sixty yards dash, - (660 yds. dash) 

One-half mile run, - (880 yds. run) 

One thousand yards run, - - (1,000 yds. run) 

Running one, two and five miles, (1, 2 and 5 mile runs) 
One hundred and twenty yards hurdle, (120 yds. hurdle) 
Two hundred and twenty yards hurdle, (220 yds. hurdle) 

Sack-racing,.(On the flat) 

Sack-racing, - - - - (Over hurdles) 

One mile walk,.(1760 yds. walk) 

Running broad jump.. 

Running high jump.. 

Pole-vaulting,.(For height) 

Pole-vaulting,.(For distance) 

Throwing the sixteen-pound hammer, (16-lb. hammer) 
Putting the sixteen-pound shot, - - (16-lb. shot) 

Throwing the fifty-six-pound weight, (56-lb. weight) 
Bicycling from one-quarter to five miles,(440 yds.-5 miles) 
Football and Basket-ball. - 



CROUCHING START 





CHAPTER XIV. 
Sprint Races. 


IOO YARDS DASH. 


T HERE is no distance which requires greater speed, 
a better control of one’s muscles and nerves, more 
composure, and greater perseverance and practice than 
running one hundred yards. 

Few men among the many who train for this dis¬ 
tance ever learn to run it in ten seconds. The athlete 
who is able to make such remarkable time well deserves 
the name of “ Champion,” which he surely is and which 
he will be able to prove many times against all comers 
in open competitions. 

Mr. Owen, of the Detroit Athletic Club, won the 
amateur championship of America in the phenomenal 
time of nine and four-fifths (9 4-5) seconds. Mr. Luther 
Carey, of Princeton College, who could undoubtedly 
run this distance in ten seconds, as he demonstrated 
at the annual intercollegiate championships held at 
Berkeley, New York City, has also been accredited with 
running the distance in nine and four-fifths seconds, 
while Mr. B. J. Wefers, of Georgetown University, has 
run it in nine and three-fifths (93-5) seconds. 


13 


176 


Practical Training. 


More depends upon the start one gets in the hundred- 
yard dash than on anything else, and here let me say 
it sometimes takes an athlete a year or two to be able 
to have perfect control of himself when once upon the 
mark. A great many athletes lose, when running this 
distance, by being penalized or disqualified for starting 
too soon. 

The daily work one must undergo, when training 
for the hundred yards, is as follows : spend your first 
three weeks in running two or three hundred yards 
slowly, say at about five-eighths speed. Also practice 
starting half a dozen times, always by the report of 
the pistol, so that you may train the ear to catch the 
sound immediately, in order that you may start with 
the utmost precision and quickness. The second three 
weeks increase your speed to three-quarters and con¬ 
tinue the art of starting, running distances varying from 
twenty to sixty or seventy yards. The third three 
weeks increase your speed to seven-eighths, run about 
one hundred and twenty-five yards, and repeat. After 
this, run fifty or sixty yards from three to six times. 
The last three weeks, practice starting several times, 
and run from fifty to ninety yards and repeat. 

If you wish to run a trial, do so at least two or three 
days before the day of your race. Remember the rule 
to rest the day before your contest, if possible. Never, 
under any circumstances, trifle or fool with another 
athlete while training, because it gets you into a bad 
habit and you may forget yourself the day of your race. 


Sprint Races. 


177 

It usually takes from three to six seasons to learn to 
run the hundred-yard dash in fast time. 

Eleven seconds is fair time, and is very good for 
persons who are under twenty-one years of age. I 
have known of a few instances Where young men of 
sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen and twenty could 
run somewhat faster than this, their time being, 
respectively, ten and one-fifth seconds, ten and one- 
quarter seconds, ten and two-fifths seconds, ten and one- 
half seconds and ten and three-fifths seconds. It is 
when young men reach the age of manhood—twenty- 
one years—as a rule, that they begin to run the hun¬ 
dred yards very fast; and in the great majority of cases 
they run faster after having attained the age of twenty- 
three, because growth and development cease at this 
period of life, after which a greater amount of energy 
may be manifested in locomotion. 

Persons who train for the hundred yards should 
know something about physiology, and then so many 
discouragements would not follow, and better sprinters 
would be the final outcome of athletes who possess not 
only remarkable speed, but also a wonderful control 
over their muscles and nerves, as well as other parts of 
their physiques used in sprinting. 

220 YARDS D^H. 

This distance requires much more speed than 
endurance, and although the distance is a very short 
one, yet it requires more judgment than one would 


Practical Training. 


178 

suppose. Some sprinters are able to run one hundred 
yards in very fast time, but when it comes to running 
a distance of twice the length or more they often make 
a miserable failure. This is because they do not run 
the distance with good judgment, and after running 
one hundred and twenty-five yards, one hundred and 
fifty yards, or one hundred and seventy-five yards, they 
“go all to pieces.” When a sprinter who wishes to run 
two hundred and twenty yards, finds he has speed 
enough and lacks staying power, he should run a longer 
distance, such as two hundred and fifty or three hun¬ 
dred yards, at seven-eighths of his speed, until he has 
acquired enough endurance. By paying attention to 
the above, a sprinter will improve markedly, and will 
be able to run two hundred and twenty yards in much 
faster time. Some sprinters who are able to run one 
hundred yards in ten seconds can also run two hundred 
and twenty yards in twenty-two seconds, but these men 
are rare, and possess wonderful speed, great endurance, 
and remarkable judgment, and have trained at intervals 
from three to six years. 

The practical work of training for the two hundred 
and twenty yards is as follows : spend about three 
weeks in running three or four hundred yards two or 
three times daily, at intervals of from ten to thirty 
minutes, being govefcied by your feelings as to the 
time to allow for repeating the distance. Never run so 
fast during the first three weeks as that you become 
very stiff. Each day during these weeks pay especial 


Sprint Races. 


79 


attention to starting, taking from four to eight starts, 
but never run over twenty or thirty yards. If you 
become stiff from starting owing to a lack of judgment 
either cut the number of starts down, say to two or 
three a day, or omit them altogether for a while. The 
second three weeks one may sprint forty, fifty, sixty or 
seventy 3'ards, from three to five times a day, and run 
one hundred and fifty yards at three-quarters speed and 
repeat. The third three weeks let him practice starting 
about half a dozen times, running twenty, thirty, forty 
or fifty yards. After this, run two hundred yards and 
repeat, at about seven-eighths speed. The last three 
weeks give especial attention to starting, and run the 
full distance, slowing up toward the end. The order 
may be reversed if the athlete prefers it; that is, he 
may run one hundred and fifty yards, two hundred 
yards, or two hundred and twenty yards, first, and the 
sprints last; or if he chooses he may change the order 
on alternate days, i. e ., the first day sprint and then 
run the distance ; the second day run the distance and 
then sprint. By so doing one can relieve himself of 
the monotony which would follow by sprinting first 
and then running the distance, daily. 

A sprinter, unless under-trained, and even then it is 
doubtful as to whether it is best, should never exercise 
the day before a race. This rest of a day will add a 
great deal of extra strength to his muscles and nerves, 
and is often not only the very thing necessary for 
the repair of muscular and nervous tissue, but also 


i8o 


Practical Training. 


the element which will best aid him in winning his 
contest. 

It requires more speed to run two hundred and 
twenty yards than longer distances, because the farther 
one runs the more nearly do the powers of speed and 
endurance balance each other, and speed, therefore, is 
not so requisite as it is in the shorter sprint races, such 
as the one hundred yards dash, the one hundred and 
fifty yards dash, and the two hundred and twenty yards 
dash. Moreover, speed is acquired slowly, while endur¬ 
ance develops much more quickly. The reason endur¬ 
ance is developed more quickly than speed is because 
there is not so much accuracy required in races calling 
for endurance. Many athletes develop their powers of 
endurance long before they acquire any speed, and are 
able to run long distances in very creditable time, 
when they are totally unable to make a fair showing 
in races which require a great deal of speed. Athletes 
should bear this in mind, and if they learn by expe¬ 
rience that their speed is limited, they should not try to 
run short distances, but confine their training to longer 
distances. No athlete can tell just how much speed he 
possesses until he has had three or four years of expe¬ 
rience in running. If he shows a fair amount of speed 
at the outset he may be reasonably sure that he will 
make a good sprinter. On the other hand, if he is 
lacking in a fair amount of speed, he had better con¬ 
fine himself to running longer distances. In the latter 
case he is very- likely to be ranked among first-class 


Sprint Races. 181 

athletes, while in the former he will be but a second- 
rate athlete. 


300 YARDS DASH. 

This distance is frequently included among the 
sprint races given by the numerous athletic clubs 
throughout the United States, Canada and England. 
Training for three hundred yards does not differ, mate¬ 
rially, from the course adopted by the athlete who 
trains for the two hundred and twenty yards dash. The 
only real difference which one has to encounter is that 
he must run eighty yards farther ; therefore he must 
make allowance for quite a bit more endurance than 
he will find necessary when training for a shorter 
distance, such as the two hundred and twenty yards 
dash. 

The distances one sprints in practice vary from fifty 
yards to three hundred, and the regulation of these 
must be made accordingly. Some men like to sprint 
two hundred yards when training for the above dis¬ 
tance, others two hundred and fifty, or two hundred 
and seventy-five. 

Men who train for three hundred yards should study 
themselves thoroughly, so as to learn whether their 
weakness, if they have any, is in speed or endurance, or 
both. Athletes should also bear in mind that in train¬ 
ing for the three hundred yards dash, they may be 
wasting time by training for a distance which is not 
suited to them at all. 


182 


Practical Training. 


THE QUARTER-MILE RUN —440 YARDS DASH. 

This distance, owing to the fact that it is rather 
short, is classified among the sprints, and therefore 
requires more speed than endurance. Nearly every per¬ 
son who trains faithfully can learn to run a quarter of 
a mile in a minute (60 sec.), but there are very few per¬ 
sons who ever learn to run this distance in forty-eight 
seconds (48 sec.), or better. Mr. Lawrence E. Myers 
ran it in forty-eight and one-quarter seconds (48^ sec.). 
Mr. Wendell Baker of Harvard College, who holds the 
world’s record, ran the distance in forty-seven and 
three-quarters seconds (47% sec.). Mr. Walter Dohm, 
of Princeton College, ran this distance in forty-nine and 
one-fifth seconds (49 1-5 sec.). Mr. Downs, of Harvard 
College, also ran it in the neighborhood of forty-nine 
seconds (49 sec.). Mr. Phillips, of Oxford, England, ran 
the distance in forty-nine seconds (49 sec.), and numer¬ 
ous others have run it in fifty seconds. 

Speed is a quality that seems to be a gift to some 
athletes, and is apparently born in them ; yet one may 
cultivate speed by practice ; however, it sometimes 
takes from four to eight years before this is thoroughly 
developed. Speed depends chiefly upon nervous energy, 
and the more grit one has the sooner will speed be 
developed. The one great trouble with all men who 
train for sprint racing is the fact that they become dis¬ 
couraged because speed does not manifest itself to any 
great extent in less than from three to five years, and 
few men have the patience and perseverance to be sat- 


Sprint Races. 


183 


isfiecl with a slow improvement in this respect. They 
all wish to be able to run at a phenomenal rate of speecl 
in a few months. Such a thing is impossible, and is 
absolutely unreasonable, because the nerves can not be 
educated to the work thoroughly in so short a time. 

When an athlete starts to train for the quarter-mile 
run he should begin slowly, and gradually increase his 
speed. After three weeks he may begin to sprint two 
or three hundred yards at about three-quarters speed ; 
and after he has rested sufficiently, which must be gov¬ 
erned by the effect the exercise has upon him, let him 
run fifty to one hundred yards from three to six times. 
After he has been sprinting for several weeks, he should 
run one hundred and fifty yards set least once a day for 
a week, then increase the distance ten yards daily, run¬ 
ning at about eight-ninths of his speed ; by so doing he 
will avoid the danger of becoming stale. 

After the distance has been increased to two hun¬ 
dred and twenty yards, if desired, a trial of this distance 
may be made in order to ascertain whether he is run¬ 
ning fast enough for the first two hundred and twenty 
yards. Should the time be a little too slow, it is best to 
return to sprinting from fifty to seventy-five or one 
hundred yards, until the necessary amount of speed is 
acquired. If the trial of two hundred and twenty yards 
is satisfactory, the athlete may continue to increase the 
distance ten yards more each day until three hundred 
yards has been reached. Now make a trial of this 
distance and see how your speed compares with the 


184 


Practical Training. 


time desired, doing as you did for the two hundred and 
twenty yards. It is a good plan to rest the day before 
making a trial. 

When three hundred yards has been reached, in¬ 
crease ten yards a day until three hundred and fifty 
is reached, and then run another trial. Now, increase 
to four hundred; run the distance once or twice a day, 
according to your condition, and simply jog the remain¬ 
ing forty yards. Then increase ten yards more a day, 
and complete the full distance about a week before 
your race. During the week before the time for your 
race, run about four hundred or four hundred and ten 
or twenty yards, and let up the last twenty to forty 
yards. This will save you for the day of your race. 

Previous to your race, lie flat upon your back until 
you are called, and be careful to avoid foul air and 
dampness. If it is a clear, warm day no harm will 
come to you if you lie down on the ground, provided 
you have a blanket wrapped about you and a dry towel 
under your head. 

Suppose one wishes to run a quarter of a mile in a 
minute : the first one hundred and ten yards (no yds.) 
should be run in fourteen seconds (14 sec.), the second, 
in fifteen seconds (15 sec.), making the first two hun¬ 
dred and twenty yards in twenty-nine seconds (29 sec.); 
the third one hundred and ten yards, in fifteen and one- 
quarter seconds (15X sec.), and the last one hundred 
and ten yards, in fifteen and three-quarters seconds 
(15$4 sec.), thus completing the quarter in one minute 


Sprint Races. 


185 


(60 sec.). If fifty-eight seconds be the standard desired 
the following schedule may be used : run the first one 
hundred and ten yards in thirteen seconds (13 sec.), 
the second one hundred and ten yards in fourteen sec¬ 
onds (14 sec.), thus completing the first two hundred 
and twenty yards in twenty-seven seconds (27 sec.); 
the third one hundred and ten yards should be run in 
fifteen seconds (15 sec.), and the last one hundred and 
ten in sixteen seconds (16 sec.), completing the distance 
in fifty-eight seconds (58 sec.). 

If fifty-six seconds be the desired standard, use the 
following plan : run the first one hundred and ten 
yards in twelve and one-half seconds (12% sec.), the 
second one hundred and ten yards in thirteen and one- 
half seconds (13^ sec.), thus completing the first two 
hundred and twenty yards, or half the distance, in 
twenty-six seconds (26 sec.) ; the third one hundred 
and ten yards should be run in fourteen and one-half 
seconds (14^4 sec.), and the last one hundred and ten 
yards in fifteen and one-half seconds (15^4 sec.), thus 
finishing the distance in fifty-six seconds. If fifty-four 
seconds (54 sec.) be the standard adopted, use the fol¬ 
lowing schedule : run the first one hundred and ten 
yards in twelve and one-quarter seconds (12% sec.), 
the second in twelve and three-quarters seconds (12^ 
sec.), making half the distance in twenty-five seconds 
(25 sec.) ; the third in fourteen seconds (14 sec.), and 
the last in fifteen seconds (15 .sec.), thus completing the 
distance in fifty-four seconds. 


Practical Training. 


i 86 


The schedule one should use, to run a quarter 
of a mile in fifty-two seconds, is as follows : the first 
one hundred*and ten yards should be run in twelve 
seconds (12 sec.), the second in twelve and one-half 
seconds (12^2 sec.), thus completing half the dis¬ 
tance in twenty-four and one-half seconds (24^4 sec.) ; 
the third one hundred and ten should be run in thir¬ 
teen and one-half seconds (13^4 sec.), and the last one 
hundred and ten in fourteen seconds (14 sec.). This 
will complete the distance in fifty-two seconds (52 sec.). 
Should fifty seconds be the standard the following is a 
good schedule: run the first one hundred and ten 
yards in eleven and one-half seconds (n}4 sec.), the 
second in twelve seconds (12 sec.), making half the dis¬ 
tance in twenty-three and one-half seconds (23^4 sec.) ; 
the third one hundred and ten yards in thirteen sec¬ 
onds (13 sec.), and the last in thirteen and one-half sec¬ 
onds (13^4 sec.), completing the distance in fifty seconds. 

Few persons learn to run a quarter of a mile in 
fifty seconds, but I have mentioned several amateurs 
who have run it faster, and therefore every quarter- 
mile runner should try to run it faster than fifty sec¬ 
onds. He must, however, have a great amount of 
patience, perseverance, and experience. If he pos¬ 
sesses these he will attain a very high standard unless 
there is something in his constitution which will not 
permit him to run so fast. 

To run a quarter of a mile in forty-eight sec¬ 
onds requires wonderful speed, grit, and endurance, and 


Sprint Races. 


87 


should an athlete endeavor to make such remarkable 
time, the following schedule will serve his purpose: 
run the first one hundred and ten yards in eleven and 
one-quarter seconds (11^ sec.), the second in eleven 
and three-quarters seconds (11% sec.), thus running 
the first two hundred and twenty yards in twenty- 
three seconds (23 sec.) ; the third one hundred and 
ten yards in twelve and a quarter seconds (12% 
sec.), and the last one hundred and ten yards in 
twelve and three-quarters seconds (12^ sec.), thus 
completing the distance in forty-eight seconds. 

Should those who train for quarter-mile running 
find any of the foregoing standards not quite suited to 
their rate of speed, then they may vary each hundred 
and ten yards accordingly. Some men have more 
endurance than speed, while others have more speed 
than endurance. For the former class, uniform run¬ 
ning is usually best, that is to say, these men will 
run each one hundred and ten yards in about the 
same time, while the latter class will run the first 
and second one hundred and ten yards faster than 
the third and fourth. 

A quarter-mile* run is one of the prettiest races a 
person can train for, and it is also one that requires a 
considerable amount of good judgment. If the athlete 
has to run his race in heats, he had better run his daily 
distance twice, unless the work be too severe, and also 
practice starting and sprinting about fifty yards a few 
times. He should also, as soon as the pistol has been 


i88 


Practical Training. 


fired, remember to endeavor to get near to the inside 
curve, or pole, as it is called, so as to save as much dis¬ 
tance as possible. The man who runs three or four feet 
from the inside curve always runs a yard or two further 
than his opponent. This applies to all races where 
the track is not straight away. 

I have seen more than one race lost by ignorance of 
this fact, or by neglecting it when known. 

QUARTER-MILE RELAY RACE-440 YARDS. 

This is a race which has, recently, been included 
among the track events. It is such a beautiful race, 
and at the same time so exciting, that it is extremely 
popular. The race, as its name implies, is one consisting 
of relays, composed of four men, who represent some 
athletic club, and constitute what is known as a team. 
The team runs a mile, each athlete running a quarter 
of a mile. The race is started as other races—that is, 
by report of a pistol. Two men start, one from each 
team, and as the first one of these finishes the quarter 
mile, the second member of the same team touches the 
hand of his colleague and starts for the second quarter. 
As he finishes, the third member of the team touches 
the hand of the competitor who has finished the second 
quarter, and is off; and finally the last member starts 
when the third member has finished the third quarter, 
immediately upon touching his hand. No member of 
a team is allowed to start before he has touched the 
hand of one of the members of the same team. 


Sprint Races. 


189 


The training for this race is practically the same 
as that adopted for ordinary quarter-mile running, but 
there is a system by which the athletes are chosen 
to start first, second, third and fourth. This depends 
upon the speed of each athlete. The best two men of 
the team are always given the first and last quarter to 
run, the slower of the two being allotted the first quar¬ 
ter, while the last quarter is run by the best man. The 
other two men are given the intermediate quarters to 
run—that is, the second and third. 

The object in arranging the men according to the 
above order is to allow, if possible, the first man to 
gain some distance over his opponent ; then number 
two of the same team has a better chance to hold his 
own if his opponent be a little better runner, because 
there will be some distance gained by number one, 
which will allow number two to start sooner than num¬ 
ber two of the opposing team ; and, in addition, should 
it prove that number two has been able to increase the 
lead gained by number one, then number three has a 
still greater advantage, and should he not be able to 
retain the lead which numbers one and two have gained 
for him, he may be able to finish at least a yard or two 
either in front or behind his adversary ; and when num¬ 
ber four takes up the running for the last quarter, 
since he is the best man, the chances for winning are 
very good. This is the best plan for teams when run¬ 
ning quarter-mile relay races, for thus a better average 
of time is made than by any other method. 


9 ° 


Practical Training. 


THREE-EIGHTHS OF A MILE-660 YARDS RUN. 

Running this distance is usually very easy when one 
is able to run a quarter of a mile well. Some athletes 
are able to run a quarter of a mile in good time, but 
they cannot run six hundred and sixty yards so well as 
would be expected from their ability to run a shorter 
distance. The explanation for this is that they either 
do not like the distance, or do not possess sufficient 
strength of constitution and endurance to run it. 

My advice to such men is to be satisfied with run¬ 
ning a distance which is both suited to their taste and 
in accord with their bodily powers. 

The distance of six hundred and sixty yards is not 
often included among the events of track athletics, and 
hence it is not wise to make a specialty of running it, 
because one will not be repaid for the time he spends 
training for it. 

Athletes who are quarter-mile runners, by varying 
their work and distance, soon learn, as a rule, to run 
six hundred and sixty yards well. An athlete who is 
in good condition to run a quarter of a mile can run 
six hundred and sixty yards very well by allowing a 
week or two to get accustomed to the distance and the 
extra amount of endurance required. This easily may 
be accomplished in the following manner : the athlete 
should run seven or eight hundred yards, if he needs a 
trifle more endurance, for six or seven days. Each day, 
he should also practice sprint running, regulating the 
distance according to the best of his judgment. Some 


Sprint Races. 


19 


athletes will find that they must give special attention 
to sprinting from fifty to one hundred and fifty yards 
daily ; others that it is better to sprint a longer distance. 

If the athlete is a good quarter-mile runner he may 
increase his distance from twenty-five to fifty yards 
each day. He should adopt a standard of time for 
the different distances, such as four hundred and fifty 
yards, five hundred yards, five hundred and twenty- 
five yards, five hundred and fifty yards. By doing this 
he can judge his pace very accurately, and in a few 
days learn whether he is lacking in speed or in endur¬ 
ance, and can train accordingly. If it be the former he 
should give more time to sprinting, while if it be the 
latter he should run a longer distance. 

Athletes who are good quarter-mile runners fre¬ 
quently make the mistake of attempting to run six 
hundred and sixty yards at their quarter-mile gait, and 
they soon learn that they have made a gross error in 
judgment, being compelled to give up the pace shortly 
after finishing the quarter-mile. This should be borne 
in mind by quarter-mile runners who attempt to run 
six hundred and sixty yards, or they will learn that 
they have run themselves off their legs before they are 
aware of it. 

All athletes who run six hundred and sixty yards, 
even if well trained for other distances, will find it to 
their advantage to give a little extra attention to prep¬ 
aration before competing, in order to become accus¬ 
tomed to the distance. 


*3 


192 


Practical Training. 


If an athlete, who is a good quarter-mile runner, 
entered for the six hundred and sixty yards with¬ 
out especial preparation, will use his judgment for a 
moment, he will find it is far the best plan to allow the 
other competitors to set the pace ; because he can then 
follow them, and being well trained for a shorter sprint 
race will, as a rule, have no difficulty in out-sprinting 
the others at the finish. Further than this, he will use 
better judgment by following his opponents than by 
leading them. If the athlete possesses the best of judg¬ 
ment as to his pace and endurance he may either lead 
or follow, because he will run as fast as he can. 

It is no easy matter for the great majority of ath¬ 
letes to tell whether it is better to lead or to follow ; 
and unless one is extremely level-headed he will find it 
better to follow his opponents than to lead them, espe¬ 
cially if he is a good sprinter. 

Suppose an athlete wishes to train so that he may 
be able to run six hundred and sixty yards in one min¬ 
ute and thirty seconds (1 min. 30 sec.). He should run 
the first two hundred and twenty yards in twenty-nine 
seconds (29 sec.), the second two hundred and twenty 
yards in thirty seconds (30 sec.), and the last two hun¬ 
dred and twenty yards in thirty-one seconds (31 sec.). 
If the standard be one minute and twenty-five seconds 
(1 min. 25 sec.), the following plan should be adopted: 
run the first two hundred and twenty yards in twenty- 
seven and one-half seconds (27^ sec.), the second 
two hundred and twenty yards in twenty-eight and 


Sprint Races. 


i93 


one-half seconds (28^ sec.), and the last two hundred 
and twenty yards in twenty-nine seconds (29 sec.). 

If an athlete desires to run this distance in faster 
time he should adopt a standard for each two hundred 
and twenty yards accordingly, being careful not to over¬ 
train by endeavoring to reach a standard that is beyond 
his ability. 

Athletes who have more endurance than speed 
should run each two hundred and twenty yards at a 
uniform rate of speed, because if they run too slowly 
at first they will be beaten in the vast majority of cases 
by athletes who possess less endurance but more speed. 
No athlete who has but a fair amount of speed should 
run a “ waiting race ” when he possesses good endur¬ 
ance, lest he be out-sprinted at the finish. 






CHAPTER XV. 


Middle Distances. 

880 YARDS RUN-THE HALF MILE. 

HIS distance requires not only a fair amount of 



1 endurance but also a certain amount of speed. 
It differs from the mile run in demanding more 
speed from the athlete, the mile run requiring more 
endurance. 

An athlete who can run a half mile in two minutes 
and fifteen seconds can usually run a mile in about 
five minutes. This is not always the case, because 
some athletes have not the endurance to run a mile, 
while they do possess the necessary amount of endur¬ 
ance to run a half mile really well. When they attempt 
to run any distance beyond half a mile, they lose their 
endurance and speed. 

Half-mile runners are often defeated by trying to 
run a distance which is not suited to their strength 
of constitution, speed, and endurance. Many a good 
half-mile runner has ruined his chances by training 
for the wrong event—in fact, this applies not only to 
half-mile running but to all sports. Athletes should 
make a very close study of the event they train for. 


Middle Distances. 


i95 

A good trainer will soon find the right one and guide 
his pupil properly. 

When an athlete desires to run a half mile in two 
minutes and fifteen seconds, he should run the first 
two hundred and twenty yards in thirty-one and one- 
half seconds (31J4 sec.), the second two hundred and 
twenty yards in thirty-three and one - half seconds 
(33 Y* sec.), thus completing the first quarter of a mile 
in one minute and five seconds (65 sec.) ; the third 
two hundred and twenty yards in thirty - four and 
one-half seconds (34^ sec.), and the last two hun¬ 
dred and twenty yards in thirty-five and one-half sec¬ 
onds (35 sec.), thus completing the half mile in two 
minutes and fifteen seconds (2 min. 15 sec.). Two 
minutes and fifteen seconds will seem very fast to 
beginners, and some will think they can never run 
a half mile so fast, but I can assure you, if you train 
for twelve weeks, conscientiously and under the advice 
of a good trainer, you will be able to run a half mile 
in the above time and may run a great deal faster. 
Don’t be too anxious to improve. It will come if you 
only have patience, perseverance, and daily practice. 

To run a half mile in two minutes and ten sec¬ 
onds (2 min. 10 sec.), the following schedule should 
be adopted : the first two hundred and twenty yards 
should be run in thirty seconds (30 sec.), the second 
two hundred and twenty yards in thirty-two seconds 
(32 sec.), thus running the first quarter of a mile in 
one minute and two seconds (1 min. 2 sec.); the third 


196 


Practical Training. 


two hundred and twenty yards should be run in thirty- 
three seconds (33 sec.), and the last two hundred and 
twenty yards in thirty-five seconds (35 sec.), completing 
the half mile in two minutes and ten seconds (2 min. 
10 sec.). 

If the standard be two minutes and five seconds 
(2 min. 5 sec.), the following plan may be used': run 
the first two hundred and twenty yards in twenty- 
nine seconds (29 sec.), the second two hundred and 
twenty yards in thirty-one seconds (31 sec.), finishing 
the first quarter in exactly one minute (60 sec.) ; run 
the third two hryidred and twenty yards in thirty-two 
seconds (32 sec.), and the last two hundred and twenty 
yards in thirty-three seconds (33 sec.), completing the 
half mile in two minutes and five seconds (2 min. 5 sec ). 

When the athlete who is training for the half-mile 
run wishes to run the distance in two minutes (2 min.), 
each two hundred and twenty yards should be run as 
follows: the first in twenty-eight seconds (28 sec.), 
the second in twenty-nine seconds (29 sec.), the third 
in thirty-one seconds (31 sec.), and the last in thirty- 
two seconds (32 sec.), completing the half mile in 
two minutes (2 min.). 

Should it be desired to run from one to six seconds 
faster, each two hundred and twenty yards should be 
run just as much faster as will be required to reach 
the standard. 

To attain such excellent qualities of speed and 
endurance as those called for by running a half mile 


Middle Distances. 


197 


in two minutes or better, will require from three to six 
years of faithful training, at least twice a year for three 
months each. I can assure my readers that the ath¬ 
letes who are able to run so fast are usually found 
among men who have been running for a number of 
years. Occasionally a man is able to run very fast in 
a year or two, but this is the exception, and if we look 
further into his history we shall find that he has been 
practicing running from early boyhood, by playing 
games, such as baseball, football, lacrosse and shinney, 
which necessitate a great deal of running. 

1,000 YARDS RUN. 

This distance bears about the same relation to the 
half mile that six hundred and sixty yards bears to the 
quarter mile ; that is to say, the training is practically 
the same as required for the half mile, allowing a slight 
variance, as to endurance, for the extra one hundred 
and twenty yards. 

The pace must be regulated as in half-mile running, 
being careful to allow a sufficient margin for staying 
power, so that the athlete may be able to finish the 
extra distance at a fair rate of speed. Half-mile run¬ 
ners attempt to run a thousand yards, thinking that it 
is not necessary to give any extra attention to the dis¬ 
tance, and they usually find they are absolutely incom¬ 
petent to judge their pace with any self-reliance or 
accuracy. It takes a few trials to be able to run a 
thousand yards well, after training for the half mile, 


198 Practical Training. 

and, unless the athlete has a wonderful gift in judging 
pace, he will find it to his advantage to spend a week 
or two in acquiring this knowledge after he is in prime 
condition for running the half mile. 

Twelve weeks should be allowed for training, but if 
one has trained for a shorter distance and is in good 
condition, from one to three weeks extra will be suf¬ 
ficient. 

The athlete who trains for running a thousand 
yards should fix a given standard of time, and then 
train for that distance by educating himself to a pace 
which will accomplish the distance in the time adopted. 
Suppose the standard to be reached should be two 
minutes and eighteen seconds. The first quarter of a 
mile should be run in about one minute (60 sec.), the 
half mile should be run in two minutes and two or 
three seconds, allowing fifteen or sixteen seconds for 
the remaining one hundred and twenty yards. Should 
the time adopted, as a standard, be faster or slower 
than two minutes and eighteen seconds, then the quar¬ 
ter and half mile must be regulated accordingly. 

A race of a thousand yards is one that is not run 
very often, and does not seem to be so popular as the 
half-mile run. It is deserving of a permanent place 
in the list of track athletics, because it differentiates 
between athletes who are capable of running this dis¬ 
tance well and those who are first-class half-mile run¬ 
ners. Lon Myers was an athlete among athletes, and 
was one of the few men who could run well every dis- 


Middle Distances. 199 

tance he attempted, yet he fell far short of his usual 
brilliant running when he attempted to cover any dis¬ 
tance beyond a thousand yards. 

1,760 YARDS RUN—THE MILE. 

Running one mile requires not only excellent judg¬ 
ment, keen, quick thought, confidence, composure, hard, 
conscientious training, patience and perseverance, but 
also a good wind, strong heart and nerves, and an 
abundance of endurance in conjunction with a fair 
amount of speed. 

When training for the mile run, if strict attention 
be paid to pace, one can teach himself to judge it within 
a half a second or a second of the time required for 
running each quarter of a mile. I have seen athletes 
so well trained that they could judge their pace within 
a quarter of a second of the time for the mile. The 
knowledge gained by being able to judge pace well 
is the very means of winning many a contest; and 
further than this, it keeps athletes from being carried 
along at a faster pace than they can continue for the 
whole distance, by men who enter contests for the sole 
purpose of running you faster than you can go, or, 
in other words, running you “off your feet,” as it is 
called. Competitors who go into contests for this pur¬ 
pose never run the whole distance. 

The twelve weeks one gives to training for a mile 
should be used as follows: the first three the athlete 
may jog a couple of miles a day at about a seven or 


200 


Practical Training. 


eight-minute gait for each mile. After finishing this 
distance he should walk about half a mile in order to 
cool off somewhat and to allow the heart-beats and 
respirations to become normal. 

Second three weeks reduce the distance to a mile 
and a half, but increase the speed a little so that the 
whole distance is covered in about nine minutes. 

Third three weeks increase your speed so as to 
accomplish the distance of a mile and a half in eight 
minutes and a half or better. 

Last three weeks run three-quarters of a mile each 
day at from three - fourths to seven - eighths speed ; 
take a rest afterward, and practice sprinting from fifty 
to one hundred yards from two to six or eight times, 
according to your feelings. If you feel tired after 
having sprinted the distance do not repeat it. Or you 
may alternate by sprinting a hundred yards one day, 
the next day run fifty yards from three to six times, the 
third day run one hundred and fifty yards once, the 
next run two hundred and twenty yards, and the next 
three hundred yards, and then begin over. 

A little sprinting may be indulged in after the first 
three weeks of training, if desired, but if done earlier 
than this it is liable to make one very stiff. 

If you wish to reduce your weight wear a heavy 
“ sweater." 

Never run to your utmost limit except in a race, 
unless you are desirous of running a trial, in which case 
run the full mile. It is best to run your trial on 


Middle Distances. 


201 


Saturday, because you have Sunday to rest, by making 
it a rule never to train on Sunday. If you have a race 
on Saturday, run your trial on the previous Monday 
or Tuesday, take moderate exercise on Wednesday, do 
little or nothing on Thursday, then rest till Saturday. 
If you feel that you need it, rest two or three days 
before your race. 

It will usually take a person from four to eight 
years, training spring and fall, to learn to run a mile in 
very fast time, that is between 4 min. 20 sec. and 4^min. 
40 sec. Do not get discouraged when you first begin 
to run if you cannot run fast. If you have the perse¬ 
verance, by practice you will gradually improve, and 
may reach the above standard. 

Should it be desired to run a mile in five minutes 
each quarter should be run according to a given stand¬ 
ard : the first quarter should be run in about one min¬ 
ute and ten seconds (1 min. 10 sec.), the second quarter 
in one minute and fourteen seconds (1 min. 14 sec.), 
thus running the half in two minutes and twenty-four 
seconds (2 min. 24 sec.) ; the third quarter in one min¬ 
ute and seventeen seconds, making the three quarters 
of a mile in three minutes and forty-one seconds (3 
min. 41 sec.), leaving one minute and nineteen seconds 
(1 min. 19 sec.) to finish the last quarter. The first 
half mile may be run a little faster if desired, and the 
last half a little slower ; or if the person has good stay¬ 
ing power the halves may be run alike. The variance 
must be regulated by one’s judgment and the amount 


202 


Practical Training. 


of speed he possesses. A mile runner who is capable 
of running a hundred yards in ten and three-quarters 
seconds, or eleven seconds, need have no fear of being 
out-sprinted by another competitor in the last hundred 
yards, in the great majority of races, unless the pace 
has been too fast for him at first. Few mile runners 
can run a hundred yards in the time I have mentioned, 
and during my whole experience of ten years I never 
met a single mile runner who could sprint a hundred 
yards in ten and three-quarters seconds (10% sec.). 

Should one be striving to run a mile in four minutes 
and fifty seconds the time for each quarter should cor¬ 
respond to the following : first quarter one minute and 
eight seconds ( i min. 8 sec.), second quarter one min¬ 
ute and eleven seconds (i min. n sec.), finishing the 
half mile in two minutes and nineteen seconds (2 min. 
19 sec.) ; the third quarter in one minute and fourteen 
seconds, making the three-quarters in three minutes 
and thirty-three seconds (3 min. 33 sec.), and the last 
quarter in one minute and seventeen seconds, com¬ 
pleting the mile in four minutes and fifty seconds (4 
min. 50 sec.). 

If four minutes and forty seconds be the standard 
the following should be the schedule : the first quarter 
of a mile should be run in one minute and four seconds 
(1 min. 4 sec.), the second quarter in one minute and 
eight seconds (1 min. 8 sec.), finishing the half mile in 
two minutes and twelve seconds (2 min. 12 sec.) ; the 
third quarter in one minute and twelve seconds (1 min. 


Middle Distances. 


203 


12 sec.), making the three quarters in three minutes 
and twenty-four seconds (3 min. 24 sec.), and the last 
quarter in one minute and sixteen seconds (1 min. 

16 sec.), completing the mile in four minutes and forty 
seconds (4 min. 40 sec.). 

Should the standard be four minutes and thirty-five 
seconds each quarter should be run as follows : first 
quarter in one minute and three seconds (1 min. 3 sec.), 
the second in one minute and seven seconds (1 min. 7 
sec.), finishing the half in two minutes and ten seconds 
(2 min. 10 sec.) ; the third quarter in one minute and 
eleven seconds (1 min. 11 sec.), making the three quar¬ 
ters of a mile in three minutes and twenty-one seconds 
(3 min. 21 sec.), and the last quarter in one minute and 
fourteen seconds (1 min. 14 sec.), completing the mile 
in four minutes and thirty-five seconds (4 min. 35 sec.). 

Should the standard be four minutes and thirty • 
seconds, the following schedule should be adopted : 
first quarter in one minute and two seconds (1 min. 2 
sec.), second quarter in one minute and seven seconds 
(1 min. 7 sec.), finishing the half mile in two minutes 
and nine seconds (2 min. 9sec.); the third quarter in one 
minute and nine seconds (1 min. 9 sec.), making the 
three quarters in three minutes and eighteen seconds 
(3 min. 18 sec.), and the last quarter in one minute and 
twelve seconds ( 1 min. 12 sec.), completing the mile in 
four minutes and thirty seconds (4 min. 30 sec.). 

If the standard be four minutes and twenty-five 
seconds, each quarter of a mile should be run as 


204 


Practical Training. 


follows : first quarter in sixty-one seconds (61 sec.), 
second quarter in sixty-five seconds (65 sec.), making 
the half mile in two minutes and six seconds (2 min. 6 
sec.); the third quarter in sixty-eight seconds (1 min. 
8 sec.), making the three quarters in three minutes 
and fourteen seconds (3 min. 14 sec.), and the last 
quarter in seventy-one seconds (1 min. n sec.), com¬ 
pleting the mile in four minutes and twenty-five seconds 
(4 min. 25 sec.). 

If four minutes and twenty seconds is the standard 
time, run each quarter as follows : first quarter in sixty 
seconds (60 sec.), second quarter in sixty-four seconds 
(64 sec.), finishing the half in two minutes and four 
seconds (2 min. 4 sec.); third quarter in sixty-six seconds 
(1 min. 6 sec.), making the three quarters in three 
minutes and ten seconds (3 min. 10 sec.), and the last 
'quarter in seventy seconds (1 min. 10 sec.), thus com¬ 
pleting the mile in four minutes and twenty seconds 
(4 min. 20 sec.). 

In the foregoing standards for the different quarters 
of each mile the variance of half a second or a second 
is of little consequence, and they may be changed ac¬ 
cording to the judgment of the athlete. 

The fastest mile that has ever been run was done by 
Mr. W. G. George in his race with Mr. William Cum¬ 
mings at Birmingham, England. Both of these men 
were Englishmen, and had been training to my knowl¬ 
edge at different periods for six years, and I think I 
am safe in saying eight years, before the amazing 


Middle Distances. 


205 


time of four minutes twelve and three-quarters seconds 
(4 min. 12^ sec.) was made. This is the world’s record for 
this distance, and I doubt very much if the time would 
ever have been made had the two men not been evenly 
matched, and had they not had the most beautiful 
weather as well as one of the fastest running tracks 
in the world to run upon. They were also in the very 
pink of condition. The different quarters were as fol¬ 
lows : first quarter, fifty-eight seconds (58 sec.) ; sec¬ 
ond quarter, one minute (60 sec.), making the half mile 
in one minute and fifty-eight seconds (1 min. 58 sec.) ; 
third quarter in one minute and nine seconds (1 min. 
9 sec.), making the three-quarters in three minutes and 
seven seconds (3 min. 7 sec.), and the fourth quarter in 
sixty-five and three-quarters seconds (1 min. 5^ sec.), 
thus completing the mile in the time stated above. 

It will be observed that the third quarter was com¬ 
paratively slow, but the half mile had been run so 
exceedingly fast that it was absolutely necessary to run 
the third quarter the slowest, so as to be able to finish 
the mile, and also to gather together enough strength 
to run the last quarter in the time they did, to com¬ 
plete the mile with such a remarkable record. Mr. 
Cummings was .beaten about five yards, and he was 
credited with running the mile in four minutes thir¬ 
teen and three-quarters seconds, which is also a remark¬ 
able performance. 


CHAPTER XVI. 


Hurdle and Sack Races. 

120 YARDS HURDLE RACE. 

I N this event the hurdles are three feet six inches 
high (3 feet 6 in.), and are placed ten j^ards apart, 
the first hurdle being fifteen yards from the starting 
place or “ scratch,” and the last, fifteen yards from the 
finish. No record should be given for a hurdle race 
unless the last hurdle is upright. This would prevent 
athletes from deliberately knocking down hurdles. 

A person to be a fast hurdler must be a good sprinter, 
because it requires speed to make good time in a hur¬ 
dle race, since the distance is very short. 

There is but one correct way to run a hurdle race, and 
this is called “bucking.” By this is meant that the ath¬ 
lete assumes a special position in going over each hurdle. 
The position assumed is as follows : one leg is drawn 
directly up and beneath the body, the foot being held 
slightly toward and behind the opposite leg. The leg 
that is drawn up, as one springs from the opposite leg, 
is put out in front of the body sufficiently high to 
clear the hurdle, and its foot is the one upon which the 
athlete alights. 

The distance between the hurdles should always be 
run with regularity, and the number of strides should 



THE HIGH HURDLE, 










Hurdle Races. 


209 

be the same. This will teach one to run at a uniform 
rate, and will also bring the athlete at a proper distance 
from each hurdle prior to bucking it. 

Two great faults found among men who hurdle 
are, first they judge the distance between the hurdles 
incorrectly, and in so doing spoil their stride, which 
interferes with their speed ; and secondly, they jump 
too high into the air when bucking a hurdle, and 
thus lose time. These faults will frequently make a 
difference of a second or two when corrected. 

When beginning to train for hurdle racing, first 
learn to buck the hurdle properly ; then study your 
stride until it is the proper length, in order that you 
may always come to each hurdle correctly. Now com¬ 
bine this with bucking the hurdle, by jumping two, 
three or four, remembering to jump just high enough 
to clear each cross-bar. If possible, just touch the 
top of the cross-bar. After practising this for the 
first three weeks, add one or two hurdles to the ones 
you have been jumping, never forgettingto pay especial 
attention to form ; also add to this, sprinting without 
the hurdles for sixty or seventy yards, five or six times. 
Continue this during the second three weeks. The third 
three weeks, practise jumping eight hurdles, and sprint 
from sixty to eighty or even one hundred yards from 
two to four or five times. If there should be need for 
a little more endurance than one possesses, then run 
two or three hundred yards at about seven-eighths speed 
for two or three weeks. The last three weeks should 


210 


Practical Training. 


be given to sprinting and jumping all of the hurdles 
once a day, and especial attention should be paid to 
standing firmly on the scratch and starting quickly. It 
takes a great deal of practice and study to run a hurdle 
race well, upon scientific principles. 

If one should have the misfortune to fall during a 
race, in attempting to jump a hurdle, he should always 
remember to get under way again as soon as possible, 
because the same accident is liable to occur to one or 
all of his competitors at the next hurdle, and in such a 
case his chances for winning are just as good as those 
of the other contestants. 

I once saw a hurdle race where this occurred, and 
the competitor had no sooner fallen than he got up and 
started after the rest, finally overtaking the leading 
man, who fell at the last hurdle, thus defeating him and 
winning the race. 

Athletes who run hurdle races should know what to 
do for themselves when they get bruised knees, legs 
and ankles, and they will find especial reference to the 
treatment of these ailments in the chapter devoted to 
sprains, strains and bruises. 

Excellent time for the one hundred and twenty 
yards hurdle race is sixteen seconds, good time seven¬ 
teen seconds, and fair time eighteen seconds. Should 
an athlete be under twenty years of age, nineteen sec¬ 
onds is good time and twenty seconds fair time. 

When an athlete wishes to be able to run the one 
hundred and twenty yards hurdle race in twenty sec- 


Hurdle Races. 


21 i 


onds he should first learn to jump each hurdle easily 
and gracefully, endeavoring to cover half of the dis¬ 
tance in about ten seconds. He should practice this 
during the first three weeks of training. The second 
three weeks, if he be able to run half the distance in 
ten seconds or better, let him add one hurdle each 
week, keeping up the same rate of speed, so that at the 
end of six weeks he is jumping eight hurdles. During 
the first week of the third period of three weeks, that 
is the seventh week of training, he should continue to 
jump eight hurdles, endeavoring to do so with more 
accuracy and speed. The eighth week of training, add 
one more hurdle, making nine in all, and keep up 
the same rate of speed, or increase it if possible. 
The ninth or last week of the third period of three 
weeks, add the tenth or last hurdle, and run the full 
distance, jumping every hurdle, also adding to this the 
amount of sprinting you deem necessary, never losing 
track of using keen judgment in this respect, in order not 
to overtrain and become “ stale.” The last three weeks 
pay especial attention to acquiring speed, by sprinting 
daily. Jump the hurdles each day or each alternate 
day, being governed by your general feelings. If at 
any time you feel that you are doing too much jumping 
over the hurdles, take a rest of a day or two, or even 
three if necessary. 

Especial care should be exercised when one is suf¬ 
fering from a badly bruised knee, a contused ankle, or 
a strained tendon. It is better to rest in such cases 


212 


Practical Training. 


than to endeavor to overcome the trouble by using lin¬ 
iments, hot or cold water, plasters or bandages. 

220 YARDS HURDLE. 

This distance requires more endurance than the one 
hundred and twenty yards hurdle race, but not so much 
ability to jump, because the hurdles being two feet six 
inches high are a foot lower than those used in the 
one hundred and twenty yards hurdle race. Again, the 
hurdles are placed twenty yards apart, and this allows 
the athlete more time to recover himself after jumping, 
and • also more time to get under way. Training for 
this event is similar to that for the one hundred and 
twenty yards. 

The way one should utilize his twelve weeks’ training 
is as follows : the first three weeks run three or four 
hundred yards at about half speed in order to avoid 
stiffness, and jump a few hurdles, regulating the length 
of stride in order to come to each hurdle at a distance 
just far enough away to jump it without touching it. 
See that little effort is made to bring you at the proper 
distance. This can be regulated by putting a piece of 
white paper at the point where you wish to have your 
stride bring you prior to bucking the hurdle. After 
you have acquired the knack of adjusting your strides 
and jumping the hurdles properly, then do away with 
the paper and depend solely upon your training, which 
should teach you to be absolutely accurate as to dis¬ 
tance. The second three weeks increase your speed to 


Hurdle Races. 


213 


three-quarters, and run three or four hundred yards 
once or twice. Next jump five or six hurdles, take a 
few starts, and sprint fifty or sixty yards. The third 
three weeks run about two hundred yards at seven- 
eighths speed, sprint fifty yards a couple of times and 
add two or three hurdles, making eight or more hurdles 
that you are jumping. The last three weeks run the 
full distance, jumping all the hurdles each day, sprint a 
couple of hundred yards without the hurdles, and prac¬ 
tice starting from three to six times, running about 
twenty to thirty yards with each start. Care should be 
taken not to overtax your strength. 

First*class time for the two hundred and twenty 
yards hurdle race is twenty-four and one-half seconds 
(24^ sec.) ; good time is twenty-five and a half seconds 
(25^4 sec.), and fair time is from twenty-six and one-half 
seconds (26^4 sec.) to twenty-seven seconds (27 sec.). In 
order to run this race in twenty-seven seconds, the first 
half of the distance should be run in thirteen seconds, 
and this rate of speed kept up as well as possible by 
gradually adding a hurdle or two to the distance, as I 
have indicated. After jumping the first five hurdles, 
endeavor to keep up this rate of speed, and add two 
or three hurdles to the distance. When you have 
accomplished this, add one or two more, completing 
the distance. If you have given especial attention to 
stride and bucking the hurdle, instead of devoting all 
of your time to speed, you will be surprised to find 
how easily this can be accomplished. 


214 


Practical Training. 


If twenty-six seconds be the standard to be reached, 
endeavor to run and jump the first five hurdles in 
twelve and one-half seconds (12 sec.), adding the hur¬ 
dles just as you did when endeavoring to cover the 
distance in twenty-seven seconds, keeping up the same 
rate of speed ; and with faithful training you will soon 
be able to run the distance in twenty-six seconds. 

Twenty-five seconds is very fast time for the two 
hundred and twenty yards hurdle race, and usually takes 
a couple of years to accomplish, unless the athlete is a 
phenomenal one. The first half of the distance should 
be run in twelve seconds (12 sec.), and the distance and 
hurdles increased as before. Especial attention should 
be paid to sprinting, because no athlete will be able to 
run the distance in twenty-five seconds unless he is a 
very good sprinter. 

Twenty-four and one-half seconds is remarkable 
time for the two hundred and twenty yards hurdle race, 
yet this can be accomplished. The athlete who accom¬ 
plishes it will win ninety-nine races out of every hun¬ 
dred he runs, if not one hundred out of one hundred. 
To run this distance so fast, an athlete must be able to 
run the hundred yard dash in ten and one-fifth seconds 
or ten and one-quarter seconds. The first half of the dis¬ 
tance must be run in eleven and three-quarters sec¬ 
onds or twelve seconds, and the distance gradually in¬ 
creased with an almost uniform rate of speed, because 
the athlete has only twelve and a half or twelve and 
three-quarters seconds to run the last half of the 


Hurdle Races. 


2T 5 

distance, and this he will find a very hard task. If the 
athlete be a very strong runner, and one with a maxi¬ 
mum amount of staying power, then he may divide the 
time between the first and second half equally. The 
great difficulty in the latter case is that most men 
depend too much on their endurance, and in so doing 
are apt to misjudge their pace for the two halves in 
trying to run them exactly alike or nearly so. When 
the athlete is a good judge of his speed and endurance, 
then he will be safe ; but I warn you, lest you are 
defeated by misjudging the very thing upon which you 
depend for victory. More than one athlete has been 
over-confident, and has been defeated because he mis¬ 
judged his pace. 


SACK RACING. 

There is no fixed distance for sack racing, but the 
method of racing never changes, although the dis¬ 
tance may vary. At one time the distance will be fifty 
yards, and another time it will be one hundred yards, 
or one hundred and fifty yards. Rarely is it more than 
one hundred and fifty yards. 

The sack is made to envelop the competitor so that 
nothing but his head is visible. The top of the sack 
has around it a draw-string, and by means of this the 
athlete is imprisoned in the sack. He is allowed to 
grasp the sides of it with his hands. The race is 
one during which each competitor may either go 
the whole distance by a series of jumps, or he may 


216 


Practical Training. 


run the whole distance by a series of very small 
steps. If any competitor wishes to do so he may 
alternate his manner of locomotion by adopting both 
means of progression, changing them as he wishes 
during the race. 

It is important in sack racing to see that the draw¬ 
string is well fastened about one’s neck, in order that 
the sack may be retained in its proper place through¬ 
out the race. It is very annoying to have the draw¬ 
string come untied, and such an accident often mars 
one’s chances of winning. 

In grasping the sides of the sack, the best way to do 
so is to take a sufficient amount of material in each hand 
so as to allow the athlete to twist the material as one 
would the strands of a rope. This will prevent the 
hands from slipping, which is a great advantage, and 
also saves a great deal of valuable time, since there is 
no necessity for taking a fresh hold of the sack from 
the beginning to the end of the race. 

It frequently happens during sack racing, that one 
or more competitors will be unfortunate enough to fall. 
Should this happen to any of my readers he will be 
greatly benefited by remembering the following point. 
The moment the athlete is aware that he has lost his 
balance and is about to fall, he should allow his body to 
fall in the direction of the goal he is striving to reach. 
As the body reaches the ground, instead of endeavor, 
ing to get up immediately, allow yourself to roll over, 
endeavoring to roll in such a way that you will bring 


Hurdle Races. 


2 iy 


yourself upon your feet again. By practice this can be 
accomplished, and I have seen more than one athlete 
who could do this so scientifically that he lost practi¬ 
cally nothing. It is a good plan to adopt a uniform 
pace for sack racing, no matter whether one runs o: 
jumps the whole distance. When one has once acquired 
a uniform method of progression he soon learns to 
increase his speed and endurance. 

The athlete before allowing himself to be put into 
the sack should examine it closely to see that it is well 
made. Look for places where it may be poorly sewed, 
and should you find one or more such places speak 
to the officials. Be careful to examine the draw¬ 
string to ascertain whether it will break easily or 
not. Also examine the way in which the draw-string 
has been put through the sack to satisfy yourself that 
it will not break during the race. 

Before starting put the toes of each foot well into 
a corner of the sack. This will prevent your feet from 
becoming entangled with other parts of it, provided 
you exert care in keeping them in the corners. 

Begin training for this race by taking a few jumps 
or runs each day. Here let me say that the fastest 
way to progress in sack racing is by jumping the whole 
distance. For those who cannot do this I would advise 
as much jumping as possible, taking short running 
steps at such intervals as the competitor thinks best 
in order to obtain a little rest, which is done by chang¬ 
ing the gait. 


2 18 


Practical Training. 


Allow twelve weeks as in training for other events, 
but remember that there are additional circumstances 
to be thought of, which I have already enumerated. 

It is a very difficult matter to regulate the pace in 
sack racing, because the distance is so short that it 
seems almost impossible to go too fast at the start, but 
those who are of this opinion will soon learn, by experi¬ 
ence, that they are mistaken. 

It requires no small amount of judgment and endur¬ 
ance to jump from fifty to one hundred times in suc¬ 
cession, without becoming winded and exhausted before 
finishing the last jump or two. I have seen many a 
competitor start to jump, in a sack race, at a rate which 
seemed very slow at first, but much to his surprise 
he found that after having taken about fifteen or twenty 
jumps he was becoming very tired, and before he had 
jumped twenty-five times was compelled to stop alto¬ 
gether. 

The same is also true when one runs instead of 
jumps. The competitor is compelled to take very small 
steps, and the shortness of these brings on fatigue 
long before one would imagine ; and many a competitor 
has found himself overtaken by fatigue much sooner 
than he had expected, because he made an error judg¬ 
ing his pace. 

It is best to spend half of the twelve weeks one 
allows for training for this event in learning to judge 
pace. The other six weeks may be devoted to increas¬ 
ing the speed of the competitor. 


Hurdle Races. 


219 


Sack racing is, in nearly every instance, decided in 
one heat, therefore there is no necessity for training so 
as to be able to compete more than once. It is almost 
unknown for two or more competitors to have a dead- 
heat in sack racing, yet it is not impossible. If you 
wish to know whether there is to be more than one 
heat, write to the proper official and ask him to let you 
know as long before the race as possible ; and should 
there be more than one heat, then train accordingly. A 
great deal may be gained by taking the above precau¬ 
tion, and you will not be ignorant as to how to train for 
the race. 

When about to start in a sack race do not stand too 
close to your competitors lest you should, accidentally, 
be knocked down just as you start. Allow a space of 
two or three feet to intervene between you and your 
competitors, and you will thus avoid the danger I have 
just mentioned. 

If during the race you find you have little trouble in 
keeping up with the best competitors, be satisfied until 
you are within about fifteen or twenty yards of the 
finish, and then begin to make your effort, being very 
careful to maintain your balance. An extreme amount 
of care should be exerted in this particular, because a 
fall in the last few yards means almost certain defeat. 

SACK RACING OVER HURDLES. 

There is but one proper way to train for such an 
event, and this is by jumping the whole distance. The 


220 


Practical Training. 


length of each jump will depend upon the distance 
between the hurdles. The competitor should train so 
that there will be no momentary pause in front of 
any hurdle prior to his jumping over it. With practice 
the athlete can become very skillful in jumping over 
hurdles. 

The hurdles are never more than eighteen inches 
high, and yet with a little carelessness he may strike 
the hurdle and fall. 

I have seen athletes compete in a sack hurdle race, 
and instead of jumping the whole distance, they would 
run between the hurdles, make a momentary pause just 
in front of the hurdle, and then go over it with a 
jump. So much time is lost in each pause that one is 
almost sure to be defeated, and where a sack race over 
hurdles is won once by this method, it will be won a 
dozen times by using a continuous series of jumps. I 
have had persons tell me it is easier to run in a sack 
than to jump, but the difference caused in the loss of 
time by the momentary pause in the running method 
is more than compensated for by its absence in the 
jumping method. 
















i 















CHAPTER XVII. 


THE MILE WALK. 



'HIS event is one that requires the athlete to give 


I a great amount of study to the mode of progres¬ 
sion, and also necessitates a good control of the move¬ 
ment of the hip joint. The law governing this event 
compels the competitor to have the heel of one foot 
and the toe of the other on the ground at the same 
time. The knee joint is held as nearly rigid as possi¬ 
ble while walking, the chief movement being made 
from the hip, assisted by the upper extremities, which 
are slightly flexed at the elbow. The right upper 
extremity is carried forward and slightly obliquely 
across the chest as the left foot is put out in front of the 
walker ; then the left upper extremity is carried forward 
and obliquely across the chest as the right foot is 
advanced in front of the left. The peculiar rotary move¬ 
ment of the hips which all walkers use can best be 
learned by going to some athletic contest where walk¬ 
ers meet, and observing their mode of walking. 

To train for the mile walk begin as follows : 
spend the first three weeks in acquiring the proper 
way of walking, never straining yourself or allowing 


224 


Practical Training. 


yourself to work too hard. Walk a couple of miles a 
day at about a nine-minute or nine-minute-and-a- 
half gait per mile. The second three weeks walk 
a mile and a half a little faster, but well within the 
limit of your powers. The third three weeks spend the 
first week in walking a fairly fast half-mile, and after 
sufficient time has elapsed walk from one to two hun¬ 
dred yards at about one-half speed. If you feel like it 
repeat the distance. The second week of the third 
three walk five-eighths of a mile and increase your 
speed slightly ; also practice walking two hundred 
and twenty yards at a little more than half speed 
for that distance, and repeat if desirable. The last 
week of the third period of three weeks walk three- 
quarters of a mile at about three - quarters speed, 
and sprint-walk a hundred yards once or twice at 
about seven-eighths speed. The last three weeks spend 
the first week in walking seven-eighths of a mile at 
about seven-eighths of your speed, and practice sprint¬ 
walking one hundred and twenty - five yards once or 
twice. The second week of the last three should be 
spent in walking eight-ninths of a mile at nearly 
top speed, but never fast enough to cause great 
fatigue or exhaustion. Also add to this a couple of 
sprint-walks of one hundred and fifty yards. The 
last week walk nine-tenths of a mile as fast as you 
can without exhausting yourself, and take a couple of 
sprint-walks of .two hundred yards. If you feel strong 
enough afterward, walk fifty yards once or twice, as 


The Mile Walk. 


225 


fast as you can. Always pay especial attention to 
walking fairly, so that you may not be disqualified. 

SCHEDULE FOR WALKING A MILE IN EIGHT MINUTES. 

To walk a mile in eight minutes, spend the first 
three weeks in getting used to the mode of progression, 
by walking a couple of miles a day at an ordinary pace, 
say ten or twelve minutes. The second three weeks 
spend in endeavoring to learn to walk the first half 
mile in three minutes and forty-five or fifty seconds. 
If you wish, walk one or two hundred yards at a very 
good pace, without exerting yourself to too great an 
extent. After having accomplished this, begin the 
third three weeks of your training by walking three- 
quarters of a mile, and spend the three weeks in teach¬ 
ing yourself to walk three-quarters in about five min¬ 
utes and forty-five or fifty seconds; add to this, after 
you have had sufficient rest, two or three sprint- 
walks of about one hundred yards. The last three 
weeks increase the distance to seven-eighths of a mile 
during the first week, continue to walk short distances 
varying from one to three hundred yards, and repeat 
them if you feel that there is a necessity for it. Dur¬ 
ing the second week of the last period of three weeks 
increase the distance to nine-tenths of a mile and walk 
three hundred yards once at nine-tenths of your speed. 
The latter part of this week you may make a trial if 
you wish to know how fast you can walk. During the 
last week increase your speed to nearly its maximum 


226 Practical Training. 

and take several sprint - walks of one, two, or three 
hundred yards. It will be sufficient for most athletes 
if they walk one of the latter two distances once, espe¬ 
cially if they walk as fast as they are able. 

SCHEDULE FOR WALKING A MILE IN SEVEN MINUTES 
AND FIFTY SECONDS. 

The training period of twelve weeks should be used 
as follows : the first three weeks should be devoted to 
walking a mile and a half or two miles at a fair rate of 
speed, say from a nine to ten minute gait per mile. 
Under no conditions should the athlete walk short dis¬ 
tances, such as one and two hundred yards, as fast as he 
is able, during the first three weeks of his training, 
because he is extremely liable to strain a tendon of one 
of his muscles which may compel him to cease training 
for months. He may also rupture the tissues surround¬ 
ing a joint, and thus be compelled to cease exercising 
for a long time. The second three weeks should be 
devoted to increasing his speed, and the distance of a 
mile and a half or two miles should be continued ; this 
is done to cultivate endurance. The rate of speed, per 
mile, during the second three weeks should be about 
eight minutes and thirty seconds. The third three 
weeks the athlete should devote to speed, and begin by 
walking a half mile in four minutes, or better, without 
exerting himself too much. Add to this from one to 
three sprint-walks of about two hundred yards at seven- 
eighths speed. If the athlete should prefer to sprint- 


The Mile Walk. 


227 


walk a quarter of a mile, he may do so. The fourth 
three weeks should be utilized in the following - manner : 
during the first week of this period walk three-quarters 
of a mile in five minutes and forty-five seconds, and 
take a couple of sprint - walks of a hundred yards or 
so. The second week of this last period extend the 
distance to seven-eighths of a mile at the same rate of 
speed, if possible, or try to keep within a couple of 
seconds of it; continue the sprint - walks of one and 
two hundred yards, or sprint-walk a quarter of a mile. 
The last week do light work the first two days ; the 
third day work fairly hard, going the full distance for 
a trial if you are feeling like it. The next day, fourth 
day in the week, work lightly if you feel like it ; under 
no circumstances should hard work be indulged in. 
Now rest from Thursday until Saturday, the day of 
your race, and you will be able to walk in the allotted 
time, and perhaps faster, if you have trained faithfully. 

SCHEDULE TO BE ADOPTED TO WALK A MILE IN 
SEVEN MINUTES AND FORTY SECONDS. 

Utilize the twelve weeks as above, but make the 
• pace a little faster. After the first three weeks, when 
the athlete has acquired sufficient endurance, let him 
begin the second three weeks by walking a mile and a 
half at an eight minutes and fifteen seconds gait. The 
third three weeks devote the time to walking fast half 
miles until you can walk a half mile in three minutes 
and forty seconds comfortably ; take one or two sprint- 


228 


Practical Training. 


walks of one or two hundred yards. After you are able 
to walk a half mile in the above time, devote the first 
week of the last period of three weeks to walking 
three-quarters of a mile, so that you are able to walk the 
distance in five minutes and thirty-five seconds. The 
second week of the last three increase the distance to 
seven-eighths of a mile, endeavoring to keep the same 
rate of speed, remembering to add a sprint-walk or 
two after you have had sufficient rest. The last week 
devote the first two days to walking seven-eighths of a 
mile at nearly full speed and sprint-walk. The third 
day walk a trial if you wish, provided you are anxious 
to know what you can do. If you feel satisfied with 
your previous work do not walk a trial, but continue the 
order of the previous day, and after you have fin¬ 
ished the seven-eighths of a mile, walk the remainder of 
the distance at a fair rate of speed so as to go the full 
distance and at the same time gradually rest yourself. 
The fourth day walk a fast quarter and take a sprint- 
walk of about one hundred yards. Then rest till Sat¬ 
urday, the day of your race. 

TRAINING SCHEDULE TO WALK A MILE IN SEVEN MIN¬ 
UTES AND THIRTY SECONDS. 

Make use of the first three weeks by walking a mile 
and a half or two miles at an eight minute gait for each 
mile. At the end of this period begin the second three 
weeks by increasing your speed so that the mile is 
walked in seven minutes and fifty seconds. Walk a 


The Mile Walk. 


229 


mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter at the same 
gait, so as to give yourself staying power ; add a cou¬ 
ple of sprint-walks, regulating the distance between 
fifty and three hundred yards, according to your feel¬ 
ings. The third three weeks devote to walking fast 
half miles, covering the distance in three minutes and 
twenty-five or three minutes and thirty seconds ; con¬ 
tinue the sprint-walks as before. The fourth three 
weeks devote the first week to walking three-quarters 
of a mile, at a little slower gait than you did for the 
half mile so as not to become winded before you have 
walked three-quarters. Continue to indulge in the 
sprint-walks as before. The second week of the last 
period increase your distance to seven-eighths of a mile, 
walking the distance somewhat faster than you would 
if you were going to walk the full mile, but a little 
slower than you are able to walk seven-eighths of a 
mile, and add the sprint - walks as usual. The last 
week of training spend the first day walking a full 
mile, covering the distance in from three to five or six 
seconds slower than you can really do when doing 
your best. When endeavoring to walk a mile in seven 
minutes and thirty seconds (7 min. 30 sec.), the quar¬ 
ters should be walked about as follows : first quarter 
in one minute and forty seconds, second quarter in one 
minute and fifty seconds, third quarter in one minute 
and fifty-five seconds, and last quarter in two minutes 
and five seconds. This is merely a general plan, and 
as no iron-clad rules can be laid down, is subject to 


230 


Practical Training. 


variation according to the strength, speed and endurance 
of the person training. 

TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SEVEN MINUTES 
AND TWENTY SECONDS. 

Devote the first three weeks to walking a mile and 
a half or two miles in about eight minutes. The second 
three weeks should be spent in walking a mile and a 
half at a seven minutes and forty-five seconds gait, or a 
seyen minutes and fifty seconds gait. The third week 
should be devoted to walking fast half miles, adding to 
this a few sprint - walks after resting for fifteen or 
twenty minutes. The half mile should be walked in 
three minutes and twenty-five seconds. The last period 
of three weeks should be used as follows : spend the 
first week of this period in walking three-quarters of 
a mile, covering the distance in five minutes and five 
seconds, and take a few sprint-walks. The next week 
increase the distance to seven-eighths of a mile, mak¬ 
ing your speed a trifle slower in order that you may be 
able to walk the distance without exhausting yourself; 
continue sprint-walks. The last week walk fifteen-six¬ 
teenths of a mile during the first two days and sprint- 
walk as before. The third day walk a full mile, either 
making a trial of your ability or keeping within a few 
seconds of what you can actually do, being governed 
by your general feelings. The fourth day walk a fast 
quarter or half mile, and rest the fifth day, thus being 
ready to compete on the sixth day. 


The Mile Walk. 


* 3 * 

TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SEVEN MINUTES 
AND TEN SECONDS. 

The first three weeks should be devoted to walking 
a mile and a half or two miles for endurance, covering 
the distance at a seven minutes and fifty seconds gait for 
each mile. The second three weeks increase the speed 
until the mile is walked in seven minutes and forty 
seconds. This will require eleven minutes and thirty 
seconds to walk a mile and a half. A mile and a half 
will be sufficient to walk at the foregoing rate of speed 
to give one all the endurance required. The third 
three weeks should be devoted to walking fast half 
miles each day, this distance being walked in three 
minutes and thirty seconds ; adding a couple of sprint- 
walks afterward, when sufficiently rested. During the 
last three weeks, spend the first week in walking three- 
quarters of a mile each day and sprint-walk as before. 
Endeavor to walk the distance in five minutes and forty 
seconds, or thereabouts. The second week increase the 
distance to seven-eighths of a mile at about the same 
rate of speed, and take sprint-walks as before. The 
third week add a sixteenth of a mile to the seven- 
eighths, the first two days, and continue to take a 
couple of sprint-walks. The third day walk a trial if you 
wish. If you do not wish to do this, walk a full mile, 
keeping fairly well within your ability. The fourth 
day walk a fast quarter or half if you feel like it, and 
rest the fifth day, competing on the sixth. Should you 
feel a trifle over-trained a couple of days before your 


232 Practical Training. 

race, do not take exercise of any kind, but lie down 
in an airy, not draughty, place during the day, and 
retire an hour earlier than usual even if you cannot 
go to sleep, in order to get the extra rest of the recum¬ 
bent posture. 

TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SEVEN MINUTES. 

After spending the first three weeks in walking a 
mile and a half or two miles at a seven-minutes-and- 
forty-five-seconds gait, begin the second three weeks by 
walking fast half miles, covering the distance in three 
minutes and fifteen seconds, and add to this, after rest¬ 
ing sufficiently, a couple of sprint-walks. The third 
three weeks walk three-quarters of a mile, covering 
the distance in about five minutes, and sprint-walk as 
before. As to the last three weeks, increase the distance 
during the first week to seven-eighths of a mile, keep¬ 
ing as much within your time limit of seven minutes 
for the mile as possible without exhausting yourself. 
The second week of this last period of three weeks, 
increase the distance to fifteen - sixteenths of a mile, 
continuing at about the same rate of speed ; take a 
couple of sprint-walks. The last week devote the first 
day to walking from twenty to fifty yards more than 
fifteen-sixteenths of a mile ; the second day, increase 
from twenty to fifty yards more, and the third day, 
walk the full mile ; the fourth day, walk a fast quarter 
mile, and rest the fifth day, competing on the sixth 
day. 


The Mile Walk. 


2 33 


TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SIX MINUTES 
AND FIFTY SECONDS. 

Spend the first three weeks in walking a mile and 
a half or two miles at the rate of seven minutes and 
forty seconds for each mile, so as to get a certain 
amount of endurance. The second three weeks make 
the pace somewhat faster, say about seven minutes ana 
thirty-five seconds for the mile, and walk only one 
mile and a half. The third three weeks, begin by 
walking fast half miles each day, covering the distance 
in three minutes and fifteen seconds (3 min. 15 sec.), 
and add a few sprint - walks after resting fifteen 
or twenty minutes. Begin your last period of three 
weeks by walking three-quarters of a mile, walking the 
distance at a little slower pace than you have been 
walking the half mile, but, on the other hand, walking 
the three-quarters of a mile at a faster rate than you 
would if going to walk the full mile. The three-quar¬ 
ters should be walked in about four minutes and fifty- 
five seconds ; this will allow one minute and fifty-five 
seconds to finish the last quarter of a mile, so that the 
distance may be walked in six minutes and fifty 
seconds, which should be ample allowance. Continue 
this for one week, then increase the distance to fifteen- 
sixteenths of a mile, and walk this distance during 
the second week, taking a couple of sprint-walks, as 
before. The last week, walk fifty yards further the 
first day at about the same rate of speed ; the second 
day, increase fifty yards further and sprint-walk as 


234 


Practical Training. 


before ; the third day walk the full mile, but do not 
take any sprint-walks; the fourth day simply walk a 
fast quarter of a mile or a fast half mile, according to 
your feelings. Now rest a day, and you will be in 
good condition for your race. 

TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SIX MINUTES 
AND FORTY SECONDS. 

Devote the first three weeks to walking a mile and 
a half or two miles at the rate of seven minutes and 
thirty seconds per mile. The second three weeks in¬ 
crease the pace a little so that you are walking a mile 
and a half at a seven minutes and twenty-five seconds 
gait for the mile. The third three weeks devote to 
walking fast half miles, and sprint-walks ; walking the 
half mile in three minutes and ten seconds, and one 
or two hundred yards as fast as you can, always remem¬ 
bering to be careful about straining yourself. The first 
week of the fourth period of three weeks, walk three- 
quarters of a mile each day, walking the distance in 
four minutes and fifty seconds. Continue the sprint- 
walks as before. The second week of the last period 
increase the distance to fifteen-sixteenths of a mile at 
about the same rate of speed, and continue the sprint- 
walks. The last week of training add fifty yards the 
first day to the fifteen-sixteenths of a mile, and take 
your sprint-walks as before ; the second day add fifty 
yards more and continue sprint - walking ; the third 
day walk a full mile, but do not sprint - walk at all; 


The Mile Walk. 


235 


the fourth day walk a fast quarter mile or half mile, 
and rest the fifth day, competing on the sixth day. 

TRAINING ROSTER TO WALK A MILE IN SIX MINUTES 
AND THIRTY SECONDS. 

Devote the first three weeks to walking a mile and 
a half or two miles at about a seven minute and thirty 
seconds gait for each mile or fraction thereof. Begin 
the second three weeks by walking at a seven minute 
and fifteen seconds gait for the mile, but instead of walk¬ 
ing two miles, walk only a mile and a quarter or a mile 
and a half. The third three weeks devote to walking 
fast half miles, walking the distance in three minutes 
and five seconds. The fourth three weeks, devote the 
first week to walking three-quarters of a mile, walking 
this distance in four minutes and forty-five seconds ; the 
second week of this period increase the distance to 
fifteen-sixteenths of a mile at a trifle slower pace, and 
take sprint-walks as before. The last week of training 
increase the distance fifty yards and sprint - walk a 
couple of times the first day ; the second day add fifty 
yards more and sprint-walk as before ; the third day 
walk a full mile, but do not sprint-walk ; the fourth 
day walk a fast quarter mile or a fast half mile, and 
rest the fifth day, competing on the sixth day. 

I have assumed that an athlete has devoted three 
or four years to walking when I quote the foregoing 
“ rosters ” for walking a mile in seven minutes or less. 
No athlete will be able to make such remarkable time, 


236 


Practical Training. 


varying from seven minutes to six minutes and thirty 
seconds, for the mile walk, unless he has been training 
from three to four years at stated periods. Very few 
men ever learn to walk a mile under seven minutes, and 
but one amateur in America has ever walked the distance 
in less than six minutes and thirty seconds. Mr. Frank 
P. Murray walked the mile in six minutes twenty-nine 
and two-fifths seconds, and Mr. William Perkins of 
England walked it in six minutes and twenty-three 
seconds, but these records are phenomenal, and are 
rarely attained even after years of the most faithful 
training. The athlete who can walk a mile in six 
minutes and forty seconds will win nine contests out of 
every ten he enters, provided the event is a “ scratch 
race.” 


















































































































































RUNNING BROAD JUMP. 












CHAPTER XVIII. 
Jumping. 


RUNNING BROAD JUMP. 



HIS is an event which depends upon the running 


1 powers of the athlete as much as, if not more 
than, upon his jumping ability, because the more speed 
the jumper possesses the greater impetus will he get 
in preparing himself prior to jumping. Few athletes 
attach enough importance to their speed when training 
for the running broad jump, depending too much upon 
their power to jump. I have seen one athlete increase 
the distance from twenty feet to twenty-one feet seven 
inches, simply by practising short-distance running for 
six weeks, running from sixty to eighty yards two or 
three times a day as fast as possible. 

The great difficulty all beginners, experience, when 
practising, is in being unable to come accurately to the 
“ take-off,” as it is called, with the proper foot, when 
running at full speed. This can be learned by patience 
and practice, and when acquired will add a foot or 
more to one’s distance. A great many athletes who 
train for the running broad jump never study the num¬ 
ber and length of strides necessary to bring them 
exactly to the take-off. If they paid more attention 


16 


240 ’ Practical Training. 

to these details they would be able to jump much 
further. 

Men who are phenomenal jumpers carefully study 
stride, speed, and the distance from where they start 
to the take-off. An athlete who trains for the running 
broad jump should never run as fast as he can when he 
first starts, but should begin slowly, and gradually in¬ 
crease his speed so that he will be running at maxi¬ 
mum speed by the time he reaches the take-off. In 
this way he will be able to make a greater effort than 
if he were to run at full speed throughout the whole 
distance. 

When beginning to train for the running broad 
jump do not endeavor to jump as far as you can, at 
first, but allow about three weeks in which to practise 
form. The second three weeks jump a little further 
than the first three weeks, and either before or after 
jumping, sprint from fifty to seventy-five yards. These 
distances will be somewhat further than you will run 
when combining the jump, but it is a good plan to run 
somewhat further so as to develop extra endurance. 
The third three weeks continue to sprint, and increase 
your jump a little further. The fourth or last three 
weeks sprint nearly as fast as you can and jump almost 
as far as you can, during the first two weeks of the last 
three. During the one week you have left devote the 
first two or three days to a few trials ; the fourth day 
take matters easy, jumping and running enough to lim¬ 
ber you up, and the day before your contest, rest. 



STANDING BROAD JUMP. 










243 


Running Broad Jump. 

If during your practice or in a contest you do not 
get your stride properly regulated and do not come to 
the take-off with the proper foot, either stop before 
you come to the take-off and make another attempt; 
or if you are running too fast, simply run over the take¬ 
off and allow a “ balk,” as it is called, to be scored 
against you. 

Men who train for this event should be especially 
careful to “warm up ” before contesting, because one is 
very liable to strain a tendon by neglecting to do so, 
which may spoil his training for a whole season, and in 
extreme cases may prevent him from ever doing justice 
to himself or cause him to give up training. 

When competing, scrutinize the bed of dirt into 
which you are to jump, in order to be sure that you are 
not exposing yourself to the possibility of being injured 
by alighting upon a stone or piece of brick which may 
have been left there. These have caused more than one 
athlete a source of regret, and have ruined his chances 
for winning by injuring him to such an extent in his 
first jump that he was compelled to withdraw from the 
contest. 

Also see that the board forming the take-off is 
firmly fixed in the ground in order to protect yourself 
from the possibility of spraining your ankle. Inspect 
the ground over which you run prior to coming to the 
take-off, to see that it is free from stones, pieces of 
brick, glass, tin, etc. These may be well-imbedded in 
the ground, and therefore you must look carefully and 


244 


Practical Training. 


closely. A great deal of trouble and annoyance will be 
avoided by remembering the above considerations, and 
athletes will escape unnecessary exposure which may 
seem trifling at first sight, but • in reality is of para¬ 
mount importance. 

RUNNING HIGH JUMP. 

Training for this event is somewhat similar to that for 
the running broad jump. An extreme amount of accu¬ 
racy is necessary when going over the cross-bar, and 
it requires months of active practice to accomplish 
the knack of doing this well, because the athlete must 
combine the preliminary run, the effort at raising the 
body when in the act of jumping, and the rotating or 
twisting of the body, in order that the cross-bar may 
not be displaced. 

The only scientific way to jump very high is as 
follows : face the cross-bar, run toward it, gradually 
increasing your speed so as to be running at full speed 
when about to make the attempt to jump over it. As 
the body is sent up toward the bar, the knees should 
be drawn toward the abdomen, and the feet brought 
together ; then quickly extend the legs when going over 
the cross-bar, and rotate the body the instant both feet 
are over the bar, so that the buttocks may not come 
into contact with it. The jumper should alight facing 
the bar or nearly so. In other words, in performing 
the jump one has turned his body half way around. It 
is extremely difficult at first to combine the run, the 


247 


Running High Jump. 

jump, and the turning; of the body, especially the latter 
two. Especial attention should be paid to turning the 
body as it is sent over the bar, because the buttocks 
usually knock the cross bar down. If they clear the 
cross-bar the athlete will sometimes improve his jump¬ 
ing from two to six inches, provided he can combine his 
run and jump properly. 

The distance between the start and the take-off 
should be studied carefully so as to bring the proper 
foot at the right spot in front of the cross-bar before 
attempting to jump over it. The jumper should be 
capable of judging this spot perfectly so that he may 
be able to come to the take-off at full speed, and 
combine this with his effort at the proper time and 
place. Neglect of these points makes a great difference 
in the height one is able to jump, hence it is better to 
begin slowly and under the advice of some athlete who 
understands how to tell you what to do and when to do 
it. Study the methods of the best high jumpers you 
meet in competition, and if you are patient you will 
soon acquire a good method of jumping. 

Diet is not so essential when training for high jump¬ 
ing as it is for running, but one had better live upon 
plain, wholesome food. 

Begin training as follows : measure the distance 
between the point at which you start to run and the 
take-off, which should be far enough in front of the 
cross-bar to allow you to jump without any danger 
of displacing it as you raise your body into the air. 


248 


Practical Training. 


See that the ground over which you run is firm and 
smooth. Now count how many strides it will take to 
come to the take-off from the starting point, and be 
sure to remember the number of strides required, also 
whether you come to the take-off with your right 
or left foot. If the jumping be done from the right 
foot see that you start with the proper foot in the begin¬ 
ning, being governed by the number of strides you 
make in covering the distance. If the number be even, 
start with the right foot if you jump from the right 
foot; if it be odd, start with the left foot in front of 
you. Should you jump from the left foot instead of the 
right and the number of strides be even, then start from 
the left foot ; if the number of strides be odd, start 
with the right foot first. Be careful not to jump 
too close to or too far from the cross-bar. By follow¬ 
ing this plan one soon teaches himself to come to 
the take-off with perfect accuracy and confidence. 
After having accomplished this, combine the jump, 
first starting at the point where you begin running, 
coming to the take-off at full speed, then leaping over 
the cross-bar, turning the body as previously directed. 
The higher the cross-bar is raised the farther from it 
must the take-off be, and hence the distance of the 
take-off from the cross - bar for each height should 
also be accurately measured, so that the athlete 
may become perfectly familiar with the different dis¬ 
tances of the take-off as the height to be jumped 


increases. 


249 


Running High Jump. 

As the cross-bar is raised higher and higher, remem¬ 
ber that you must get more impetus to send you over. 
This force can be supplied by being able to run up 
to the take-off very fast. Never run fast enough to 
spoil your effort at jumping, but endeavor to combine 
both the force of speed and the force used in jumping, 
so as to get a maximum force for your final effort, 
which is to enable 3'ou to clear the cross-bar. 

The first three weeks should be spent in sprinting 
short distances, as one does when training for the hun¬ 
dred-yard dash ; also practice style in jumping. Become 
thoroughly familiar with the take-off and the method of 
jumping over the cross-bar. Do not jump very high 
during this period. 

The second three weeks increase the height an 
inch or two, and your speed in running to the take-off ; 
remember that form is worth from two to four inches 
at least, and therefore pay the strictest attention to it. 

The third three weeks increase the height grad¬ 
ually without exerting yourself to any great extent, also 
increase your speed in running to about three-quarters 
of its maximum. 

During last three weeks gradually put the cross-bar 
within an inch or two of the height that you are able to 
jump, and practise it from six to twelve times. 

Never be afraid to try to jump any height, even if it 
seems impossible. You will often surprise yourself, if 
you determine to make a grand effort, by clearing a 
height an inch or two, or even three, higher than you 


250 


Practical Training. 


have done before, when you least expect it; this may 
win your contest. Regulate the number of jumps dur¬ 
ing the twelve weeks you are preparing for your con¬ 
test according to the way you feel. Three trials at 
one height are usually sufficient, and since the rule 
governing running high jumping allows each competitor 
only three trials at each height until he fails, it is best 
to accustom one’s self to this rule. It is rare to see an 
athlete jump very high unless he has had from three to 
five years’ training. Improvement is slow, and jumpers 
who accomplish the feat of jumping six feet or higher 
do not do it in a day. It took Mr. William Byrd Page 
about eight years to clear the cross-bar at a height of 
six feet four inches. From this any athlete will readily 
see how much patience and perseverance is required 
to become a phenomenal high jumper. Mr. Sweeney 
cleared the cross-bar at six feet five and five-eighths 
inches. 

POLE-VAULTING FOR HEIGHT AND DISTANCE. 

There are a great many things to be learned before 
an athlete can become an expert pole-vaulter. The 
balance, thickness, weight and length of the pole should 
be studied carefully. The regulation pole is about an 
inch and a half in diameter, is sixteen feet long, and 
made from hickory, spruce, oak, pine or ash. Ash is 
commonly used. 

A pole should be well-balanced, and the spike which 
is inserted in the end that is thrust into the ground 


Pole-Vaulting. 


253 


should be firmly held in place after having been driven 
into the pole, by an iron, steel or brass band, which en¬ 
circles the pole at the “ spike-end.” In selecting a pole 
the grain of the wood should be carefully noticed, and 
great care should be taken to select one that is free 
from knots. Care should also be manifested in select¬ 
ing a pole which contains a fair amount of flexibility, 
and whose surface is perfectly smooth, so that one may 
not expose his hands to small splinters. 

The athlete who takes up pole-vaulting should be 
able to vault as well from grass as from a cinder or 
loam take-off. Mr. C. J. Bucholtz, who held the Inter- 
Collegiate Championship during the year 1893, was 
beaten in 1894 simply because he had always been 
accustomed to vault from a cinder or loam take-off. 
The reason he was beaten then was because the take¬ 
off was from grass, and he had never practiced from 
such a one. It is best to practice from all kinds of 
take-offs, so that you may not be troubled. 

Always measure the distance from the start to the 
take-off, so as to judge the length of stride you are to 
take in your preliminary run toward the cross-bar. 
Make a point of practising this distance until you feel 
sure you will not lose your stride. By paying attention 
to this, accuracy in stride will soon be established, and 
then you will be able to pay more attention to speed as 
you approach the bar. Every pole-vaulter should be 
able to “ run up his pole,” as it is called ; that is, he 
should get sufficient impetus from his run to send him 


254 


Practical Training. 


up to the cross-bar easily. The great stumbling block 
with all pole-vaulters is they do not have sufficient 
courage to run up the pole when the cross-bar is at 
a height of ten feet or above. 

When the cross-bar reaches a fair height, say nine feet 
six inches, the vaulter is not only required to get a good 
run, but should be capable of controlling his body while 
in the air. He should be able to force his lower extrem¬ 
ities and the trunk of his body over the bar, and at the 
same time to rotate the whole body in order to get his 
buttock as far away from the cross-bar as possible when 
making an attempt to clear it. To acquire the knack 
of doing this requires faithful practice, and sometimes 
three or four years elapse before it is learned. Pole- 
vaulters in running toward the cross-bar should run 
upon their toes, just as sprint runners do ; and the faster 
a pole-vaulter can sprint, the higher will he be able 
to vault, if he has good control of his body while in 
the air. 

The pole should be carefully examined, each time, 
before using it, to ascertain that it is free from the 
slightest crack. Never use a pole which may break 
with you. In this way you will avoid the possibility of 
having part of the pole run into your side, leg, arm or 
head. Accidents of the foregoing kind have occurred 
to pole - vaulters, and some of them have been very 
serious, perforating the lungs or rupturing a blood¬ 
vessel. Such dangers may be avoided by paying atten¬ 
tion to the hints I have thrown out. 


Pole-Vaulting. 


2 55 


No athlete who takes up pole-vaulting should begin 
with even a medium height. It is far better to begin 
with a low height, say three or four feet, pay strict 
attention to form in vaulting, and gradually increase 
the height, than to start at seven, eight or nine feet and 
continually endeavor to clear it. Even if one finally is 
successful in clearing one of the latter heights, all form 
will be lost, and there will be little or no improvement; 
while if one starts with what may seem a ridiculously 
low height, and pays the keenest attention to form, in 
every detail, the improvement will be marked and rapid. 

Especial care should be exercised in regulating the 
distance between the hands when they grasp the pole. 
The proper distance is about a foot or a foot and a half. 
If the hands be further apart than this, the effort at 
vaulting will be much harder, and the vaulter will find 
great difficulty in controlling his body. 

The pole should be grasped so that both thumbs are 
up, because a greater height can be reached than by 
grasping it so that the upper hand has the thumb up. 
while the lower hand has the thumb down. I have 
seen vaulters who adopt the former grasp, vault eleven 
feet and more ; but I have yet to see the vaulter who 
adopts the latter grasp, vault ten feet. 

Every athlete who intends to take up pole-vaulting 
•should allow himself twelve weeks to train for his con¬ 
test, assuming that he is in no condition whatsoever 
for the sport. Should he be in fair or medium condi¬ 
tion, then he must regulate the number of weeks 


»7 


256 


Practical Training. 


accordingly. When twelve weeks are allowed, the first 
three weeks should be spent in giving especial atten¬ 
tion to form. Short running should also be indulged 
in, but under no circumstances should sprint running 
be begun during the first three weeks. Let the run¬ 
ning be moderate as to speed and distance. The second 
three weeks the height may be increased six inches to 
a foot, according to the ability of the vaulter, and the 
running may be increased, as to speed. The third three 
weeks the height may be increased again, and now the 
vaulter may indulge in sprint running at a pace which 
calls for about seven-eighths of his speed, practising 
distances from thirty to fifty yards, according to dis¬ 
position. From three to six sprints of this sort will 
usually be sufficient. The last three weeks should be 
spent in vaulting gradually to a height that is a few 
inches lower than the maximum height the athlete is 
capable of vaulting. In this way a certain amount of 
reserve is left, and in clearing the height easily one 
gains greater confidence than by attempting to vault as 
high as possible, and failing to clear the cross-bar. 

When a vaulter feels tired after having failed sev¬ 
eral times at one height, it is better to cease trying, 
because he is overdoing the matter, and the more fre¬ 
quently he tries the worse will his form become, and 
the more often will he fail. 

If a pole becomes bent after using it, either have it 
straightened or procure a new one. Not only is the 
pole liable to be broken, but the competitor using i' 


Pole-Vaulting. 


257 


will find that the slight bend in the pole necessitates 
his vaulting an inch or two higher than if it were 
perfectly straight. 

Some athletes practise vaulting over a rope or 
string. This is a very bad habit to indulge in, for two 
reasons : first, the rope or string will sag an inch or 
two in the centre ; secondly, they are not so easily dis¬ 
placed, hence the athlete often becomes less accurate 
when sending himself over one or the other, because 
he soon learns that he may touch either of them 
with less danger of displacing it, especially when the 
lower extremities are well over it. With a wooden 
cross-bar it is much more difficult to clear a given 
height, because the bar is more easily displaced; and as 
the cross-bar in all competitions must be made of wood, 
it is best to practise vaulting over nothing but such a 
cross-bar. 

Before going into an open competition see that the 
ground over which you are to take your preliminary 
run, is free from all small stones, pebbles, pieces of 
glass, tin, etc. Should you not look to this and en¬ 
counter one or more of the foregoing, the result may 
be a sprained ankle or muscle which will necessitate 
your withdrawing from the contest, thus spoiling your 
chances, and perhaps cause you to be laid up for 
weeks and even months. Should a pole-vaulter meet 
with an accident, such as a sprained wrist, ankle, shoul¬ 
der or back, it is best for him to cease vaulting until 
the injured part has had an absolute rest for a period 


Practical Training. 


258 

long enough to allow it to become entirely well. Do 
not continue to train or enter contests after having 
received an injury, by endeavoring to make the injured 
part do its work with the aid of a bandage or plaster. 
This will not give permanent relief. The injury in 
nearly every case will become worse instead of better, 
and you will only be compelled later to rest the part 
twice as long as you would had you given it absolute 
rest at first. 

All pole-vaulters should also inspect the ground 
upon which they are to alight. This ground should be 
well dug up, soft, and free from everything which is a 
source of danger. The loam should be very fine ; not 
large cakes the size of a spade, which I have frequently 
seen, and which often cause the vaulter to injure some 
part of his body. Also scrutinize the wooden piece 
forming the take-off, so that you may be sure it is 
firmly held in the ground Should this board be loose 
it will cause you no end of trouble by causing your pole 
to slip, bringing it closer to the cross-bar than you 
wish. 

All of the foregoing hints will also apply to pole- 
vaulting for distance; and the athlete who is a good 
man when vaulting for height, will find that he can hold 
his own against other competitors when vaulting for 
distance. It often happens that one athlete will be able 
to vault higher than another, while, if we consider the 
same two when vaulting for distance, the latter will 
defeat the former; hence we can fairly conclude that, 


Pole-Vaulting. 


2 59 


because one athlete wins from another when vaulting 
for height, it does not follow that he will also win 
when vaulting for distance. However, a vaulter may 
excel both at height and distance. 

Pole-vaulters will find it to their advantage, if they 
teach themselves to balance their body when the pole 
assumes a perpendicular position in the air. The power 
to balance, if used only for an instant, often enables the 
vaulter to get some part of his body away from the 
cross-bar, which would displace it were he unable to 
balance himself for this momentary pause ; and thus 
he clears a height which he will often fail to clear when 
unable to control his balance. 

To those who wish to keep themselves in a semi¬ 
condition for vaulting, during the winter months, I 
would say that a gymnasium is a good place for prac¬ 
tice ; but care should be taken, since more dangers pre¬ 
sent themselves here than in the open air. In the first 
place, the run that one takes in the gymnasium prior to 
vaulting is usually much shorter and upon a board floor 
where there is more danger of slipping. One should not 
wear ordinary gymnasium slippers. The best kind of 
shoe for this purpose, when practising in a gymnasium, 
is the regulation running shoe, having a rubber sole 
instead of a leather sole with very short spikes pro¬ 
truding. In the second place, the board into which 
the spiked end of the pole is to be thrust, should be 
very firmly secured by means of iron pins, one of which 
passes through each of the holes in the corners of the 


260 


Practical Training. 


board, and then through a hole in the floor at least two 
or three inches deep, in which it is secured. In the third 
place, the point of the spike in the pole should always 
be very sharp, in order to avoid the least possibility of 
slipping. Should this occur, there is greater danger of 
an accident than in the open air, because the board floor 
is much harder and less elastic than the ground. In the 
last place, the mats used in gymnasiums are of differ¬ 
ent thicknesses, and without thought vaulters will often 
use the thinnest mat in the institution. In so doing 
they are not only subjecting themselves to great shock 
when they alight upon it, but are also predisposing 
themselves to sprains, which may be avoided by using 
the very thickest mat the place affords. If there 
are no thick mats in the gymnasium take several thin 
ones, placing them carefully upon each other, in order to 
make the surface upon which you intend to alight as 
smooth as possible. When alighting, either upon the 
ground or a mat, endeavor to relax every muscle in 
your body as much as possible ; by so doing you can 
reduce the jar the body would receive if kept rigid. 
When practising in a gymnasium, be careful to remove 
all the splinters made by thrusting the pole into the 
board from which you vault. Thus you will avoid run¬ 
ning one or more of these into your arm, leg or body 
if you slip while attempting to vault. All the dangers 
I have pointed out have occurred to more than one ath¬ 
lete when vaulting, and it is the best rule to remember 
that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” 





/ 










CHAPTER XIX. 


THROWING THE SIXTEEN-POUND HAMMER. 

HE ground from which the hammer is thrown 



1 is encompassed by a circle whose diameter is 
seven feet. The hammer, including the weight of the 
handle, is sixteen pounds. There is a great deal of 
“ knack ” which an athlete must acquire before he will 
be able to throw the hammer scientifically. When 
grasping the hammer for a throw, one should do so 
as close to the end of the handle as possible, at 
the same time remembering to take a strong enough 
grasp to hold the hammer as it is being swung 
around the head. In preparing for a throw the com¬ 
petitor stands with his back to the piece of wood which 
forms an arc of the circle in which he is standing, and 
over which he is forbidden to step under penalty of 
a foul throw. The hammer is then put at full arm’s 
length from him, his body being nearly at a right angle. 
A movement is next made which causes the hammer 
to make a circle around the head. This movement 
is repeated two or three times, each revolution being 
increased in velocity until the maximum velocity is 
attained, when the competitor, at the completion of the 


264 


Practical Training. 


last revolution, turns his body around once or twice, 
and reaching over the wooden arc, lets go the ham¬ 
mer. Great care and precision are required in doing 
this, lest the competitor, by making too great an effort, 
should lose his balance and overstep the circumference 
of the circle, thus making a foul throw, which counts 
as a trial against him. With careful practice an ath¬ 
lete can learn to make a tremendous effort without any 
danger of making a foul throw. The chief thing to 
be remembered is to control the muscles of the body 
in regular sequence : first, the arms as they swing the 
hammer; then the trunk of the body as the force made 
by swinging the hammer is transmitted to it; and lastly 
the legs, which maintain the.body in a state of equilib¬ 
rium as the arms and body work in unison. After one 
has allowed the hammer to leave his grasp, he should 
teach himself to recover as quickly as possible ; by so 
doing he will not expose himself to the danger of over¬ 
stepping the circumference of the circle in which he is 
confined. 

Hammer-throwers as a rule are more anxious to see 
how far they can throw the hammer than to pay strict 
attention to the method of throwing.- When more 
attention is given to method and less to distance the 
result is better. Here let me add that such men as 
Messrs. Gray, Mitchell and Queckburner, of the New' 
York Athletic, Hickok of Yale, Edgren of the Uni¬ 
versity of California, and Woodruff of the University 
of Pennsylvania, all adopt the same plan of throwing 


Throwing the Hammer. 265 

the hammer, which is the method I have given. These 
men are well known, have excellent records, and some 
of them have held the amateur championship of America 
at different times. Hammer-throwers, like all other ath¬ 
letes, will find that to be able to throw a hammer a great 
distance, such as a hundred and thirty-five or forty feet, 
requires patient training and constant practice. There 
are cases where athletes have been able to accomplish 
the above distance in a comparatively short time, but 
it is the great exception to find such an athlete. If one 
endeavors to solve the reason for it, he will find that 
some previous occupation or exercise has developed the 
muscles used in throwing the hammer, and the indi¬ 
vidual is possessed of wonderful control of these mus¬ 
cular groups. 

In the United States, hammer-throwing has im¬ 
proved greatly, especially among amateurs who are 
members of the different athletic clubs throughout the 
country, and among the college athletes in our differ¬ 
ent universities and colleges. One can trace this to the 
fact that more scientific knowledge has developed in 
physical culture, and greater care and attention have 
been paid to the sport during the last ten years. 

Hammer-throwing is one of the prettiest field sports 
one would wish to see, especially when two or three 
muscular giants are competing against one another for 
the championship of their country. Here, as in other 
sports, about twelve weeks should be allowed for train¬ 
ing. The first three weeks should be spent in taking 


266 


Practical Training. 


general exercise, such as running, jumping rope, using 
light dumb-bells, and throwing the hammer a few times 
daily for form, not for distance. The second three 
weeks one may increase the distance a little, but never 
to such an extent that form is lost, continuing the 
dumb-bells, running, etc. The third three weeks in¬ 
crease the distance a trifle more, but do not exert your¬ 
self to your utmost, and continue the exercises pre¬ 
scribed during the first six weeks. The last three weeks 
try to throw the hammer within a few feet of your 
utmost effort, but do this only about five or six times, 
and continue the other exercises as usual. 

Under no conditions should you allow yourself to 
practise until you are utterly worn out. This will not 
only lead to your growing “stale,” but there will also 
be great danger of straining the overtaxed muscles, 
and should this occur, you will find no cure for it but 
absolute rest. Before making an attempt to throw the 
hammer, see to it that every muscle in the body has 
been well warmed by some light exercise, or still bet¬ 
ter, a thorough rubbing. Muscular tissue, under ordi¬ 
nary conditions, does not act so well as when gently 
warmed ; therefore the hammer-thrower who throws a 
hammer without paying attention to the above fact is 
only handicapping himself to a great extent, and fre¬ 
quently loses his competition from neglect, when he 
might otherwise have won. Little hints may appear 
trifling to some, but the wise athlete is the one 
who is always willing to learn, and it is often the 

























































♦ 














♦ 










Putting the Shot. 269 

knowledge of little things that enables him to become 
a champion. 

Hammer-throwers should be very careful to develop 
the muscles which surround and control the movements 
of the shoulder-joint. This joint has surrounding it 
several very small muscles, and unless their develop¬ 
ment is gradual, there is great liability to strain them. 
I have known cases of this kind which necessitated the 
abandoning of the sport altogether. These small mus¬ 
cles may be developed by rotating the upper extremi¬ 
ties both forward and backward either with or without 
apparatus. It is a very good plan to keep these muscles 
in fair condition during the whole year by some light 
work in the gymnasium, exerting a little precaution in 
regard to overworking them. 

putting the sixteen-pound shot. 

It has been contended by some that it is much 
more difficult to put the shot than to throw the ham¬ 
mer. Whether this is true or not is difficult to say, 
because there are just as many hammer-throwers who 
contend that it is more difficult to throw the hammer. 
Strange as these assertions may seem—and I have no 
doubt that the shot-putters and hammer-throwers who 
believe such to be the case are fully convinced that 
they are right—yet we are confronted with the fact 
that there arc many men who can both throw the ham¬ 
mer and put the shot equally well. From my experi¬ 
ence with these athletes, I am inclined to think that if 


270 


Practical Training. 


an athlete can throw a hammer well, he can also put a 

shot well ; and I have seen but one case where a man 

■ 

could throw the hammer one hundred and twenty-five 
feet, while if he tried to put the shot he succeeded in 
sending the sphere only a little over thirty-two feet. My 
belief in his ability to put the shot was much greater 
than his own, and I always felt that had he liked shot¬ 
putting as much as he did hammer-throwing and had 
given as much time to it, he would in a short time have 
been able to put forty feet. I remember a second 
instance where the case was just the reverse. The 
athlete held the Inter-Collegiate Championship, having 
won it with a put of about thirty-nine feet, yet this man 
could not throw the hammer much over seventy feet. 

The method of putting the shot is very difficult to 
most beginners, yet athletes who are able to make a 
put of forty feet or more adopt the same general 
style. The method of putting the shot, just as in ham¬ 
mer-throwing, requires practice to become expert, and 
it is only the phenomenal athlete who acquires the 
knack in a .short time. 

The circle in which the competitor is required to 
stand has the same diameter as that required when 
throwing the hammer, and in fact is the same in every 
respect. While I shall explain in detail the method of 
putting the shot, yet I would advise every one who 
contemplates training for shot-putting to get an expert 
shot-putter to show him the method in person, because 
much valuable time will be saved in learning each 


Putting the Shot. 271 

point correctly. For the following description I feel 
indebted to Messrs. Gray and Mitchell, having studied 
both carefully when putting the shot. 

The shot is held in the right hand, the athlete stand¬ 
ing with his right foot close to the line forming the 
circle, occupying a position directly opposite to the 
centre of the wooden arc described before. The shoulder 
is thrown well back, and the forearm is flexed upon the 
arm. The hand is slightly extended by the weight of 
the shot. The left foot is about a foot or two in front 
of the right, so as to balance the body properly. The 
whole body is nearly at right angles to the centre of 
the wooden arc, never facing it. The head may be 
made to face the arc, so as to judge the distance when 
making an attempt to put the shot. The athlete, while 
in this position, extends the left arm at right angles 
to his body, makes a slight motion or two by elevating 
the foremost foot a sufficient height to maintain his 
balance, then quickly hops forward with the right foot 
about three feet and a half, turns so as to face the op¬ 
posite direction, puts the left foot on the ground and 
extends the right arm vigorously as the right foot 
touches the ground. Should the athlete be left-handed, 
the position and method should be reversed. 

Training for shot-putting does not bring the respi¬ 
ratory power into play ; however, it is a good general 
plan to take some auxiliary exercise for the lungs, be¬ 
cause by so doing the muscles which cover the chest are 
developed and strengthened, and in this way the athlete 

18 


272 


Practical Training. 


acquires more control over these muscles. The period 
of time should be twelve weeks, as in other events. 
The first three should be spent in taking gentle exer¬ 
cise, consisting of running short distances, such as two 
or three hundred yards, light dumb-bell drills, club¬ 
swinging, etc. Club-swinging teaches one to be very 
accurate and is of great assistance to those who train 
for shot-putting, not only on account of the accuracy 
the athlete acquires, but also owing to the fact that it 
develops all the muscles about the shoulder joint, arm 
and fore-arm. One should also put the shot for form, 
not for distance, during the first three weeks. The 
second three weeks make the above exercise a little 
more severe, and increase the distance of putting the 
shot. The third three weeks make the exercise still 
more severe, and again increase the distance of putting 
the shot. The fourth three weeks, exercise so that the 
work causes a fair amount of fatigue. During the 
twelve weeks of training never put the shot so often 
that it causes muscular exhaustion. From six to twelve 
times a day will usually be found sufficient. 

Should the athlete who is a novice at shot-putting 
have difficulty in controlling a sixteen-pound shot at 
first, let him practice with a twelve-pound one until he 
has acquired the art of putting it in good form. After 
this has once been learned it will be easier to handle 
the sixteen-pound shot, though of course there will be 
a little difficulty at first, and the distance the athlete is 
able to put the shot will be much less. If necessary, 


Putting the Shot. 


2 73 


continue practising with the lighter shot until your 
method of putting it is perfect. Never try a few puts 
with the twelve-pound shot, and then return to the six¬ 
teen-pound before good form has been acquired ; by so 
doing you are liable to spoil your way of putting the 
shot altogether. After one has once become well versed 
in the art of putting the shot he never loses it. The 
only precaution necessary to take is not to endeavor to 
put it as far as possible, nor try to equal a former 
record, when the muscles are not well trained and able 
to do the work required. A disregard of this will often 
produce a strain or sprain which may cause no end of 
trouble. 

The art of putting the shot does not depend abso¬ 
lutely upon the muscular strength of the athlete. A 
man who possesses the muscular strength of a Hercules 
may, and often does, find that he is unable to put the 
shot further than thirty or thirty-two feet, when he 
expected to put it at least forty, and he wonders why 
such is the case. This is very easily explained when 
one understands anatomy and physiology. The mus¬ 
cles being governed by nerves and the nerves by the 
spinal cord and brain, it is necessary for all of these 
different parts of the body to work in harmony in order 
to co-ordinate the movement perfectly. Not having 
been trained to do this the muscular giant loses a great 
deal of force, due to a want of co-ordination of move¬ 
ment, and the shot falls at thirty or thirty-two feet 
instead of being put farther. 


274 


Practical Training. 


The athlete who is well drilled will in ninety-nine 
cases out of one hundred put the shot a greater distance 
than his adversary who may possess twice the amount 
of muscular strength but who is not well drilled. Let 
me add that no two athletes who are novices will, as a 
rule, improve at the same rate in the same period of 
time. This is simply because they are born different, 
and no athlete should be discouraged because he does 
not improve so rapidly as his neighbor. Be patient, 
faithful, and persevering, and in the long run you maybe 
able to compete with the best shot-putters in the world. 
My advice to men who are possessed of small muscles 
is not to train for putting the shot, because it rarely 
happens that such a one is ever able to become a 
champion at this event. He may do very well, but 
would better take up some other athletic sport in which 
he may be able to win a championship. Men who are 
of spare build usually do much better by running; on 
the other hand, it is a rare thing to see a man with tre¬ 
mendous muscles run very fast. Such a thing has been 
known, but it does not often occur. Men who are mus¬ 
cular giants do far better in shot-putting or hammer- 
throwing than they do in running. Queckberner, who 
was very expert with the shot and hammer, could run 
fairly well. Mr. William B. Curtis, who could not run 
very fast, was one of the best heavy-weight men of his 
day. I quote these two examples simply to illustrate 
the difference in the peculiar capabilities of men in 
general. 


Putting the Shot. 


275 


When making an attempt to put the shot be careful 
to do so, well from the shoulder, so as to get all the 
force possible out of your arm and shoulder as you 
extend your arm and fore-arm. A mistake, very com¬ 
monly made by those who train for shot-putting, and 
especially by novices, is that they devote too much 
time to shot-putting, and not enough in endeavoring 
to develop their body in a symmetrical manner. Fre¬ 
quently an over-development of the side and upper 
extremity used in shot-putting, retards rather than 
increases the improvement of the athlete. This is be¬ 
cause the shot-putter finds it difficult to maintain his 
balance when preparing to make his effort. The differ¬ 
ence in development between the right and left arm 
and right and left side will frequently amount to three, 
four or five pounds; hence it is no wonder the ath¬ 
lete must exert more care and energy to keep his bal¬ 
ance while in the preliminary position. The right arm 
and side have a great deal to do with the ability one 
possesses in putting the shot if the person be right- 
handed, and the same is true when the shot is put with 
the left hand; but the extremity which acts as a balanc¬ 
ing agent also plays a very important part, and there¬ 
fore there is just as much necessity for developing it as 
there is for developing the opposite member. If athletes 
in general only knew the importance of this point they 
would depend more upon symmetry than on abnormally 
large muscles, which frequently handicap a competitor 
to such an extent that he is defeated. 


276 


Practical Training. 


THROWING FIFTY-SIX-POUND WEIGHT. 

This event requires a great deal of muscular strength, 
and only those who possess it should undertake to 
throw the weight. It is useless for an athlete to 
train for this event when he is perfectly sure of being 
beaten, because he is attempting to do something which 
is entirely beyond his powers. An athlete to be an 
expert weight-thrower must have exceptionally well- 
developed arms and back, in addition to possessing suf¬ 
ficient muscular development about his chest and legs 
to do the work called from the muscles in these 
regions. The best weight-throwers are men who are far 
above the average in muscular development, and these 
men might well be classed as muscular giants. When I 
recall such men as Mitchell, Curtis, Queckberner, Gray, 
Hickok and others, I think of their powerful muscular 
systems, and then say to myself how many athletes 
there are who are wasting time by attempting to accom¬ 
plish what these men have done. 

Men who are not muscular giants are in great dan¬ 
ger of straining their muscles by attempting to throw 
the fifty-six-pound weight. 

Many ways exist of throwing the fifty-six-pound 
weight. One method is to stand with the back of the 
heels touching a beam which is elevated a few inches 
from the ground, having the legs spread about a foot 
and a half or two feet apart. The weight is grasped 
with both hands by means of an iron ring which is 
attached to it, and swung between the legs and then 


Putting the Shot. 277 

hurled over one’s head. Another method is to stand 
sidewise, sending - the weight as far as possible after 
having made it cross in front of the body once, twice or 
thrice. A third way is to grasp the ring with both hands, 
place the weight to the left of you, give it a sudden swing 
to the right, at the same time turning the body, make 
a second revolution and then let go. In studying 
these different methods, it is well to bear in mind that 
in the first the back does the chief part of the work, 
while in the second the muscles at the side of the chest 
are very important, and in the third method there is 
much necessity for teaching the body to make its first 
and second revolutions in perfect harmony, so as 
to get all the force out of these possible in con¬ 
junction with the muscular energy expended. Those 
who have succeeded in throwing the fifty-six-pound 
weight well, are fully aware of the time, patience and 
practice they had to devote to accomplish what they 
have ; and my advice to the novice is: walk conscien¬ 
tiously in the footsteps of the men I have mentioned, 
study as you go on, and some day you will be rewarded 
by making an excellent record or becoming a champion. 

Throwing the fifty-six-pound weight is not included 
among the list of athletic events in the Intercollegiate 
Athletic Association of Amateur Athletes of America, 
and although it is very interesting, it does not seem to 
be popular enough to be adopted universally. 

The skill and strength required of an athlete to put 
the fifty - six - pound weight well are of the highest 


278 


Practical Training. 


order, and any athlete who can do this deserves the 
highest praise for his ability. This event is included 
more frequently among professional athletic contests, 
and has long been one of the regular events in the list 
sanctioned by the Amateur Athletic Union of America. 

The knack of throwing the fifty-six-pound weight is 
not easily acquired. It looks very simple, but when an 
athlete endeavors to throw the weight for the first time 
he soon learns that as much, if not more, depends 
on acquired skill or knack, than on muscular ability. 
When an athlete is able to combine knack and mus¬ 
cular strength properly he is, as a rule, able to throw 
the fifty-six-pound weight well, and with little or no 
strain upon his muscles. 











CHAPTER XX. 


BICYCLE RACING. 

B EFORE considering bicycle racing in detail, there 
are some general considerations needing careful 
attention. As a means for recreation it furnishes not 
only pleasure, but also develops certain parts of the 
body. It is an excellent exercise, yet there are two 
great dangers to be guarded against. The first is that 
it tends to produce a contracted chest, which is 
caused by the position many riders assume, and the 
second that it gives too much work to the lower 
extremities. With a little care, all riders easily can 
avoid the dangers I have mentioned. The faulty posi¬ 
tion can be overcome by practice, the erect posture 
being substituted with very little effort on the part of 
the rider. To overcome the discrepancy, which is seen 
in so many bicycle riders, between their lower extremi¬ 
ties and the remainder of their body, all that is neces¬ 
sary is to take a few auxiliary exercises with dumb¬ 
bells, chest-weights, or bar-bells. Those who ride for 
pleasure rarely if ever know that they would be able to 
climb a hill with less difficult}" if they possessed an equal 
development of their arms, legs, chest, abdomen and 
back. Not only will they climb a hill with much more 


280 


Practical Training. 


ease, but they will also be able to ride faster; because 
when possessing even development and good muscles 
of the arms, forearms, chest, abdomen and back, they 
will find that they are able to guide their machine more 
accurately, and the muscles about the chest, being 
well developed, will move the ribs a greater distance, 
thus giving the lungs and heart more space in which 
to contract and expand. 

It may be laid down as a general rule, the larger the 
muscles covering the chest and back the greater the 
endurance of the individual who, in addition, has good 
lung and heart power. Here let me say I have seen 
hundreds of riders, who had been riding a bicycle 
for years, try to become expert racers, and never 
succeed, because they had developed only their lower 
extremities and neglected the development of their 
chest and arms. These riders will improve wonder¬ 
fully if during the winter they will take exercises 
which develop the chest, back and upper extremities 
exclusively. To satisfy one’s self as to the benefit of 
symmetrical development, in bicycle riding, all that is 
necessary is to observe the physiques of such riders as 
George D. Gideon, Zimmerman, Sanger, Tyler, Bliss, 
Murphy, Taxis, Sims, Bald, Douglas, Starbuck, and 
other noted racers. 

Riding for pleasure and racing are entirely differ¬ 
ent. In the latter case it is almost impossible to sit 
perfectly erect, and many wheelmen ride with their 
bodies almost at right angles to their legs. 


Bicycle Racing. 


281 


It has been claimed that some machines can be 
ridden more easily than others. If such is the case 
it is due either to a very superior make, the care the 
rider takes of his machine, the running gear, the balance 
of the machine, the position of the saddle or of the rider. 

When purchasing a bicycle it will be well to remem¬ 
ber some of the things I have just mentioned. Also 
examine the tires, spokes, handles, saddle and bearings, 
to be sure everything is in first-class order. It is a good 
plan to ask the dealer to allow you to try the machine 
before purchasing, and during the time you have it 
compare it with other machines, testing it well over all 
sorts of roads. In this way you will not waste your 
money by paying for a bicycle out of which you derive 
little or no pleasure. If the machine be a “racer,” test 
it upon some track. 

Those who ride for pleasure should be very careful 
when taking a spin, because in so doing there is great 
danger of straining a muscle, the heart, or lungs, and 
once having done so you are liable to suffer thereafter. 
I have seen the pleasure of more than one rider spoiled 
by disregarding this, and in some cases bicycling had to 
be stopped. If you must have a spin now and then, 
pay a little attention to training carefully, until you 
have your muscles, heart and lungs well prepared for 
the extra work required, and then you will not expose 
yourself to the danger of an injury. 

Novices frequently injure their health by endeavor¬ 
ing to wheel thirty, forty or fifty miles, at too fast a 


282 


Practical Training. 


pace, with friends who have been riding a wheel for five 
or six years. They should never attempt to go at such 
pace until they have accustomed themselves to it. Many 
novices wheel fifty or more miles with very little appar¬ 
ent fatigue, but the after results frequently cause no 
end of trouble. 

Athletes who are under eighteen or twenty years of 
age, and who are novices, should be extremely careful 
as to the distances they ride ; because their growth and 
development are very rapid, especially so after they are 
fourteen, and from fourteen to eighteen or twenty their 
bodily tissues are not so strong, hence there is a greater 
liability to injury. A little care and forethought, with 
a grain or two of common sense, will be a safeguard to 
those who intend to seek recreation by'riding a bicycle. 

To those who have ridden from childhood, I would 
say there is little danger of injuring your constitution, 
so long as you respect the laws governing your nature. 
The only fault children are liable to fall into is that 
they do not take some additional exercise to make their 
upper extremities, chest and back equal to their lower 
extremities in strength and development. 

Parents should be very careful in regard to the 
amount of riding their children indulge in, especially if 
the children are young, lest overwork and exhaustion fol¬ 
low which may lead to disease. Never allow your child 
to try to ride so far, or so fast, as a young man of 
twenty-one, or older, and you will avoid all danger in 
regard to disease. Impress him that he is to ride for 


Bicycle Racing. 


283 


the benefit of his health, until he is older, when he will 
be able to stand a greater amount of work with little or 
no danger. No rider should take a long or fast ride 
immediately after a meal. Always allow at least an 
hour or two to intervene, and, if possible, three, before 
going out upon your bicycle. 

There is no harm in taking a ride after the lapse of 
an hour from the time of eating, provided the pace is a 
slow one ; and one may even ride a few minutes after 
eating, although it is not the best thing to do. The 
best way to regulate the velocity when the stomach is 
full of food and digestion active, is to ride slowly ; this 
does not increase the action of the heart and lungs to 
any great extent. 

TRAINING FOR BICYCLE RACING. 

Before beginning to train for bicycle racing develop 
the unsymmetrical and weak part or parts of your body 
by taking special exercises in the gymnasium. After 
having strengthened these parts, giving especial atten¬ 
tion to increasing the strength and capacity of the 
lungs, then begin to take some gentle exercise on the 
bicycle. From the very moment you start to ride, 
endeavor to learn all you can about the methods of 
such men as Zimmerman, Sanger, Titus, Bliss, Murphy, 
Brandt, Bald, Douglas and others. Until you have per¬ 
fect control over your wheel pay particular attention 
to your position on the saddle, your method of pedal¬ 
ing, the control of your handles, and the adjustment of 


284 Practical Training. 

your wheel. Now allow twelve weeks to condition 
yourself. The first three weeks devote to endurance, 
by riding say five or ten miles, at a fair rate of speed. 
The second three weeks pay attention to riding a quar¬ 
ter of a mile two or three times, or a half mile, in addi¬ 
tion to the other work. The third three weeks you 
may ride one day for endurance by riding five or ten 
miles, and on alternate days go a quarter or a half a 
mile once or twice for speed. The last three weeks 
devote to speed, riding at a very fast rate, always 
having a little reserve force. This is a general way of 
training." 

Let us now consider the matter of training for dif¬ 
ferent distances. In all distances from a quarter of a 
mile to twenty miles, the rider should train both for 
speed and endurance. Many a rider has been beaten 
because he possessed endurance when he needed a lit¬ 
tle speed, or had speed when he needed endurance. 
To ride a quarter of a mile very fast requires faithful 
training and a well-developed body. The time allotted 
to training for a quarter of a mile is twelve weeks, as 
it should be for every event. The first three weeks 
should be spent in riding a mile or two at a rate of 
speed sufficient to cause gentle fatigue, not only of the 
muscles, but also of the heart and lungs. The second 
three weeks the pace should be increased until mode¬ 
rate fatigue results, and the rider should also ride a 
quarter of a mile once or twice at about three-fourths 
of his top speed. The third three weeks may be spent 


Bicycle Racing. 


285 

in riding - a mile at a considerably faster rate of speed 
than the rider had gone the two miles during his 
first six weeks of training. He should, after having 
rested sufficiently, say about a half an hour, ride two 
or three quarters as before. The last three weeks 
should be devoted to riding fast quarters at about seven- 
eighths speed. 

If the rider feels that he is falling off in endurance 
he may take a mile or two twice a week. It is also a 
good plan to take a few sprints of from one hundred 
and fifty to two hundred yards occasionally. In so 
doing the rider will avoid the danger of being beaten 
just on the tape, and will never be outwitted by a com¬ 
petitor w T ho rides a waiting race, for no other purpose 
than to get him to go slowly in order to outsprint 
him at the finish. Riders who have a fair amount 
of speed and excellent endurance should never ride a 
waiting race, because they will invariably be beaten 
at the finish by competitors who have excellent speed 
but only a fair amount of endurance. They should 
ride, from the very moment the pistol is fired, at a pace 
they know they can maintain throughout. Cyclers have 
been beaten by failing to remember this when they 
might otherwise have won. A rider will be able to 
judge his pace by practice, and I have already referred 
to this in my general considerations on training. 

Half-mile bicycle riding requires about the same 
method of training that the quarter-mile requires, but 
the distance being twice as far, necessitates a little 


286 


Practical Training. 


more endurance; hence the rider should remember this, 
and never be beaten because he lacked endurance which 
could have been acquired had he been more thought¬ 
ful. Half-mile bicycle racing has been reduced to such 
a remarkably fast rate of speed that it can safely be 
said to belong to sprint races. A competitor riding a 
half mile in one minute or faster has no opportunity to 
ride a waiting race, and many a competitor has been 
beaten by going the first twenty-five or fifty yards too 
slowly. The only way to ride a half mile is to set the 
pace at once and work vigorously, with good judgment, 
from beginning to end. 

Twelve weeks should be allotted to training for 
half-mile bicycle racing, just as for the quarter. Half- 
mile riders can usually get sufficient endurance by do¬ 
ing from three to five miles daily during the first three 
weeks. The second three weeks they may wheel two 
or three miles at a fair pace every other day, and 
on alternate days ride half a mile at about three-quar¬ 
ters speed. The third three weeks may be spent by 
riding a mile on alternate days ; the other days being 
devoted to riding a half mile at about seven-eighths 
speed. The last three weeks should be devoted chiefly 
to speed. Let the rider sprint a fast quarter and repeat 
it once or twice, during the first week of the last three. 
During the second week let him ride six hundred and 
sixty yards and repeat. Should he wish to ride a half- 
mile trial, he may do so once a week. The last week 
let him take two or three half-miles, say at about 


Bicycle Racing. 


287 


nine-tenths speed ; do not ride trials. The last day or 
two of the week, rest, and you will be ready for your 
race. 

Riding- a mile requires a little more care than riding 
a half mile, because one is apt to “ wind ” himself be¬ 
fore the distance has been covered, by going somewhat 
too fast at first. It requires a great deal of keen judg¬ 
ment when racing a mile, because one must learn to 
ride so that he will have a little energy left in him for 
the final spurt of from one to three hundred yards. Do 
not allow yourself to be caught “ napping,” so to speak, 
by riders of experience. That is, do not allow another 
competitor to trail after you until you get to the last 
two, three, or four hundred yards, and then suddenly 
spurt by you before you are aware of it, and get so far 
ahead that it is impossible to catch up. Always look 
out for this. 

Moreover, be careful in all kinds of bicycle racing 
not to get “ pocketed ” as it is called. By this is meant 
that two or three competitors will ride very fast at 
the start so that they may get ahead of you, espe¬ 
cially if you are a good wheelman ; and once having 
attained the lead they will ride side by side so as 
to compel you to go to the extreme outside in order 
to pass them, thus causing you to lose much valuable 
time. This is not all. When you endeavor to pass 
they will quicken their pace and not allow you to do so 
if they can help it. Bear in mind that it is not only 
best to keep from being pocketed, but you are also 


*9 


288 


Practical Training. 


avoiding the danger of running over some one should 
there be a “ spill ” of three or four men ahead of you. 
If you do get pocketed, ride on the outside at a time 
when you can ride by one competitor, or try to grasp 
an opportunity when there is space enough to pass on 
the inside of .the competitor having the pole, or ride 
between him and the man next to him; but do so 
when those competitors least expect it, and do it very 
quickly. I have seen this done beautifully by expert 
riders, and had they failed to use their brains for this 
purpose they would have suffered defeat without the 
shadow of a doubt. 

Mile racing requires very much the same training 
that half-mile requires, but one must have a little more 
endurance. The number of weeks is the same, and the 
method of training is the same ; but since the distance 
is twice as far, twice as much endurance is required. 
Devote the first three weeks to riding from three to six 
or eight miles at a moderate pace, for endurance. Spend 
the second three weeks in riding two or three miles at a 
somewhat faster pace ; just fast enough to cause your 
heart and lungs to come well into play, but not to 
their utmost extent. Do this three days in the week. 
The other three ride a fast half or three-quarters, as 
the distance suits you. The third three weeks ride a 
mile and a half every other day at a very good pace, 
which you must judge by the amount of fatigue caused. 
The alternate days devote to sprinting a quarter mile or 
half mile as before. If you feel like it go three-quarters 


Bicycle Racing. 


289 


or even a mile. The last three weeks devote chiefly 
to sprinting. The first week ride a half mile and 
repeat once or twice ; the second week ride three- 
quarters twice or thrice ; and the last week ride a trial 
mile the first day of the week, never later, and better 
a whole week before the race. Allow two days’ rest, 
as before. Mile riders should learn to sprint a quarter 
and a half well, so that they may not be outsprinted. 

Riding two miles requires much more endurance 
than riding one, in fact some men are so constituted 
that the3 r can race one mile and no further. The 
moment they attempt to ride a longer distance they 
are defeated. Such athletes should keep out of all 
races over one mile. It does not follow that because 
a person is able to ride a mile faster than some men, 
he will also ride two miles faster than these men. 
I have seen men who could give others as much 
as twenty-five or even fifty yards in a mile ; but when 
the distance was made two miles the latter could 
give the former as much as twenty-five or fifty yards, 
because they had more endurance and could stand a 
much faster pace in proportion for two miles than they 
could for one. When starting to train for a two-mile 
bicycle race spend the first three weeks in riding from 
five to eight miles for endurance. The second three 
weeks ride three or four miles three days in the week, 
and devote your time the other three days to riding a 
moderately fast half mile, repeating once or twice. The 
third three weeks ride two miles at a good pace and 


290 


Practical Training. 


sprint a half mile once, each day. The last three weeks 
devote the first week to increasing your speed by riding 
a mile at three-quarters speed, repeating once or twice. 
The second week of this period ride a mile and a half 
and repeat, at about seven-eighths speed. The last week 
ride a trial the first day, the next two days take one or 
two sprints of a mile, and rest two days as before. 

For distances such as five, ten, and twenty miles 
the training is somewhat the same, increasing the dis¬ 
tance accordingly. One must always make allowance 
for endurance and speed according to the individual. 
Further, a very rigid observation should be made each 
day in regard to the effect of the work. 

Should one feel that he is uot training hard enough 
for any of the above events, then he should take more 
work. On the other hand, if he is taking too much work, 
then he should rest for as long a period as necessary. 
This may be a day or two, a few days, a week, or even 
a month. A rest of a month is required only when a 
person is exceedingly “stale.” One may readily know 
when he is getting too much work by the fact that he 
will not be able to make such good time. A variance 
from a quarter of a second to one or even two sec¬ 
onds, according to the distance being ridden, means 
little or nothing; but when there is a difference 
of from five to ten seconds, then beware of becoming 
“ stale,” unless the track is a slow one, the day raw, 
cold and damp, or the wind blowing very hard. If you 
suspect something which interferes with making fast 





Bicycle Racing. 


291 


time and you cannot understand the cause of it, consult 
a physician who can give you skillful advice on the sub¬ 
ject. It is bad policy to endeavor to patch yourself up 
with the advice of a quack, when there is something 
wrong, and in the long run you will save much valu¬ 
able time by seeking good medical advice. 

All men who ride in races should always inspect 
the track where they are going to race, in order 
that they may become familiar with the curves and 
may note any irregularities in them. Some tracks 
have soft spots in them, others are so constructed that 
the racer will find it difficult to ride around the curves 
with any certainty and speed, unless he has tried doing 
so once or twice before racing. 

A rider should learn to lean well to the inside of 
his machine as he goes around a curve. Tracks that 
have the curves well elevated do not require so much 
attention in this respect, but every rider who enters 
races will soon find that few tracks are fast while many 
are very slow and imperfectly built. 

When preparing to start in a race never allow a 
competitor to crowd you after you have once mounted. 
See that there is plenty of room on each side of you. 
Crowding is frequently done by riders who wish to 
spoil your chances and who will either pocket you the 
moment you start or give you a fall before you have 
gone a dozen or more yards, so that a friend of theirs 
may win when their own chances are hopeless. Also 
examine your wheel well just before mounting it. 


CHAPTER XXL 


FOOTBALL. 


HE remarks in the chapter on “ Training in General ” 



1 will apply to conditioning the athlete for a foot¬ 
ball contest; but there are a few special hints which are 
of inestimable value to him. It is not my intention to 
speak of the scientific part of the game, because I am 
fully aware of the fact that such men as George Wood¬ 
ruff, of Yale, Phil King, of Princeton, Arthur Brewer, 
of Harvard, and Carl Williams, of the University of 
Pennsylvania, are far more expert players than I ever 
was. 

I venture to assert, however, that every one of the 
gentlemen whose names I have mentioned will agree 
with me when I say that the possession of good brains, 
per se , will never enable an athlete to become an expert 
football player. If a player cannot use his brains at the 
right time, he will never become an expert, because his 
opportunities on the day of a very important match 
may be so modified from what they were in practice 
that he will be totally nonplused before he is aware of 
it, and his opponent will thus gain the very advantage 
which leads to victory. Moreover, good brains when 



Football. 


293 


properly used co-ordinate voluntary muscular move¬ 
ments more easily and perfectly than when misapplied, 
and with less expenditure of energy. 

No athlete can ever become an expert football player 
unless he first possesses the following qualities. He 
must have a good mind, and possess excellent control 
of his muscles and temper. He must be a good run¬ 
ner, a good tackier, be able to pass the ball well, 
think quickly, able to dodge well, able to punt and 
catch the ball well, understand the rules of the game 
thoroughly, be able to interfere well, understand 
the different plays perfectly, always be on the look¬ 
out for any emergency, and obey the orders of his 
captain without a question. Furthermore, he must pos¬ 
sess the qualities of forethought, patience, persever¬ 
ance, determination and decision, and must be a most 
faithful, conscientious and constant student and worker, 
because there are so many signals to be remembered 
and “ tricks ” constantly to be borne in mind. 

All of the qualities I have mentioned are rarely 
found in athletes who play football, and while some 
men play well, yet they are always inferior to one or 
two of the members of the team who possess them. 
There is no reason why every member of a football 
eleven should not become an expert player, and in fact 
a “ star,” if he will only study his weak points. The 
fault with him often lies in the fact that, being desir¬ 
ous of getting on the team, he carefully avoids showing 
the coach and the captain his weak points ; during daily 


294 Practical Training. 

practice he avoids these, and is careful to keep his 
strong points before both coach and captain. The 
effect of all this is that when he does make the team 
he frequently finds himself confronted with the fact 
that his opponents know his weak points, and they con¬ 
tinually use plays calculated to call out his weaknesses, 
not once using a play that tests his strong points. 

Again, there are some football players who think 
they know all that can be known about the game, and 
are never willing to study it constantly and listen to 
the experience of the coach and captain. These men, 
in fact, are poor, or at best fair players, and are too 
short-sighted to see their own faults. Many a football 
player thinks because he is a good tackier and a fair 
runner, that he should be on the team. He forgets 
that these two qualities alone do not make a football 
player; but because he is able to tackle better and run 
a little faster than another candidate, he concludes that 
he deserves a place on the team. This is far from cor¬ 
rect, because another candidate who is trying for the 
team, although he may not be quite so good a tackier 
and runner, is a better punter, a surer catch, is more 
reliable when the ball is passed to him, interferes 
better, and obeys his captain more faithfully. 

A point that is extremely essential in football is that 
every member of the team should be a good sprinter. 
It is surprising to see how many poor runners there are 
on football teams. The rush line is composed of heavy 
men, and until recently it was supposed that the weight 


Football. 


295 


of each man, the ends excepted, prevented him from 
being a fast runner. Mr. Bull, who played center-rush 
on the University of Pennsylvania team in 1894 demon¬ 
strated that this was a mistake. He frequently broke 
through his opponents’ center, and beat the ends of his 
own side down the field to the opponent to whom the 
ball had been punted. This proved conclusively that a 
heavy man on the rush line could run faster than the 
ends. 

The guards and tackles should be able to run just 
as fast as the center or ends, and 1 firmly believe that 
the fault lies in the fact that the rush line, as a whole, 
never practices sprint running. Mr. Heffiefinger, who 
played left guard for Yale, was a very heavy man, 
weighing in the neighborhood of two hundred pounds ; 
and half of his excellent playing was due to the com¬ 
bination of his weight, fast running and good inter¬ 
ference. 

There is a point worth mentioning in reference to 
the members of a football team when they allow them¬ 
selves to have contentions with the members of their 
own as well as other teams. Their contentions or dis¬ 
putes tend to irritate the brain, and when this irrita¬ 
tion once takes place it acts as a cause in disturb¬ 
ing the perfect co-ordination of movement. From this 
the muscles do not contract and relax with such 
perfect rhythm ; the result often being that a player 
will fumble the ball when passed to him, or when about 
to fall upon it. A good player will frequently be at a 


Practical Training. , 


296 

loss to account for fumbling the ball, when if he would 
stop to think, it could be explained by the fact I have 
mentioned. 

The scientific parts of football, comprising the 
many tricks, signals, the art of punting, falling upon 
the. ball, etc., have not been mentioned, because I am 
well aware I could not put them so clearly before my 
readers as Mr. A. H. Staggand Mr. H. L. Williams have 
done in their excellent work, “ A Treatise on Football,” 
or Mr. Walter Camp and Mr. Deland in their book on 
this subject. To those who care to become expert foot¬ 
ball players I would say that it is the ever-increasing 
desire for knowledge of the subject that tells in the 
long run, and the man who studies the game carefully 
and adds to his studies a course of training the body 
scientifically, is the one who excels. 

A great weakness I have frequently noticed is that 
many players when once tackled by an opponent do not 
try to shake him off, but simply cry “ down.” If these 
men would learn how to use the muscles which are in¬ 
tended to give a rotary movement to the body, and once 
get them well under control, they would be surprised to 
find how comparatively easy it is to shake a man off. 
Again, players when tackled are frequently thrown upon 
the gro'und by an opponent, and after being thus thrown 
have an opportunity to roll over three or four times, 
but do not take advantage of it. Further than this, 
an opportunity often presents itself by which a player 
having the ball may crawl several feet or yards before 



Football. 


297 


it becomes necessary to cry “ down.” Such an oppor¬ 
tunity should always be taken advantage of. An 
additional point is that a player running with the ball 
does not look for an opportunity to pass the ball to one 
of his own side when an opponent is about to tackle 
him. This is often due to the fact that the man with 
the ball is not followed closely enough by one of his 
own side. 





CHAPTER XXII. 


BASKET-BALL. 

B ASKET-BALL is a game which was invented 
within the last few years, and its inventor, Mr. 
James Narsmith, deserves great credit for introducing 
a game that may be played in any gymnasium, or on a 
small space. I have watched games of basket-ball 
with a great deal of interest, and have been impressed 
with a condition which, it seems to me, will present itself 
as the game continues to be played, namely, that it is 
capable of more scientific development. True, there 
is a great deal of science in the game, but I firmly 
believe that time will demonstrate that the fine points 
of the game are still in their infancy. Fifteen years 
ago no one thought football would improve so much, 
and basket-ball will advance along scientific lines just as 
football has. In fact it is advancing every day, and 
new plays and “ tricks ” are the outcome of some of the 
“ brainy ” players. 

The popularity of the game is evident from the 
number of teams and leagues existing throughout the 
United States. It is a game that is less violent than 
football. It requires that an athlete should be in good 








Basket-Ball. 


299 

physical condition, but does not necessitate such severe 
training as football or track athletics. Furthermore, 
bisket-ball may be played during the winter months 
when football is out of season, and basket-ball does not 
'consume much time, since each half is limited to twenty 
minutes. 

The rules are so worded that all roughness is elimi¬ 
nated from the game, and owing to this, more pleasure 
is enjoyed by those who play basket-ball. To one 
watching the game, unless he is posted on the fine 
points, it would seem that there is very little to be 
learned ; but let anyone who has never played basket¬ 
ball try to do so, and if he is playing against an expert 
he will soon find that there is more to be learned than 
he anticipated. His opponent will not have the slightest 
difficulty in executing plays that lead to a goal. On 
the other hand, when two teams are evenly matched 
the game frequently results in a draw, and in some 
instances neither side is able to score. 

No person can learn to play basket-ball well unless 
he is very quick in his movements, and very accurate 
in manipulating the ball in different ways. All basket¬ 
ball players should teach themselves to handle the ball 
equally well with the right and left hands. It often 
happens that a chance is afforded to pass the ball with 
the left hand ; but the player, being right-handed, is 
unable to do so and thus loses an opportunity which 
might lead to victory. It is a very difficult matter to 
learn to use both hands equally well, yet I have seen 



3 °° 


Practical Training. 


men who could do this, and they invariably gained a 
great advantage. 

A great many players never study rules closely, and 
on this account are led to think that the officials are 
treating them unfairly. It is far better not to dispute 
official decisions, because in the great majority of cases 
the players are at fault. Ignorance of rules, in detail, 
also leads players to make a foul, and from this a 
goal may result, which defeats a team. Every man on a 
basket-ball team should know the rules so well that he 
can repeat them word for word. If the rules are thor¬ 
oughly understood there is little cause for disputes, and 
the referee’s or umpire’s decision will readily appear 
just. 

In all league games the number of men composing 
a team is limited to five. A greater number may be 
played if desirable. 

The positions are as follows : one center, two guards 
and two forwards. For a detailed account of these posi¬ 
tions the reader is referred to the writings of Mr. W. E. 
Allen, which will be found in the book “ Official Basket¬ 
ball Rules.” 

Some of the fine points which he recommends to 
the man who plays center are : “ He should be an all¬ 

round player, be accurate in throwing goals, work will¬ 
ingly with the forwards, be able to ‘ cover ’ an opponent, 
and, above all, be cool and collected.” The center 
should be a tall man rather than a short one, and I 
would add that it is well for him to practice jumping up 




Basket-Ball. 


301 


in the air so that he may be able to jump higher than 
his opponent when the ball is put into play. The matter 
of catching or striking the ball may be left to the dis¬ 
cretion of the center, but most players prefer to strike 
the ball. The position the center assumes to “ cover ” 
his opponent must be decided upon according to circum¬ 
stances. At one time it may be best to face an oppo¬ 
nent, at another to stand sidewise, and in a third instance 
behind him. The center should watch with the utmost 
diligence the manner in which the ball is thrown into 
the air. 


THE GUARD. 

This position has more responsibility attached to it 
than the center, and a guard should be especially care¬ 
ful not to be slow, lest he may lose the game. Height 
is not so essential in this position, yet if a man be tall 
and just as quick as an opponent who is short, he will 
have a decided advantage. A guard must watch the 
ball closely and also “cover” his opponent with the 
utmost accuracy, or a goal may be the result. He 
should also study the points of the other guards 
and use plays that will call their weak ones out. 
With a little careful observation these points may be 
quickly learned. I have seen guards learn the weak 
points of those against whom they were playing, during 
the first five or ten minutes of the first half ; the result 
being that they completely outplayed their opponents 
the second half. The guard should have a signal by 


302 .Practical Training. 

which he may indicate exactly where he wishes the 
ball to be dropped, and should play in reference to his 
posifion. The signal should be such that it will lead 
an opponent to think he knows what is about to hap¬ 
pen, when in reality something entirely different takes 
place. This is brain work of the highest order. When 
a guard wishes to get the ball, unless he is an expert 
he should not stand behind an opponent, because he is 
liable to make a foul. Even the most expert guards 
will sometimes make a foul when standing behind a 
man. When throwing the ball any distance it should 
be done quickly, and not with the arms extended, 
because in this position the leverage is not so favorable 
as when the fore-arm is flexed upon the arm. More¬ 
over, an opponent has more time to watch the move¬ 
ment. The ball may be kept just back of and above 
the shoulder, resembling the position one assumes in 
shot-putting. From this position one may teach him¬ 
self to throw the ball a great distance, and by prac¬ 
tice may also become very expert in judging goals. 

THE FORWARD. 

This position is regarded by many basket-ball play¬ 
ers as the most difficult, but this is disputed by others 
who think that the position of guard is more important. 
The man who plays forward should excel in one partic¬ 
ular, and that is in the matter of throwing goals. The 
one qualification which fits a man for the position of 
forward, is an accurate control over the muscles of the 


Basket-Ball. 


3°3 


arms. I have assumed that the forward must be quick, 
or his accuracy in throwing a goal will amount to noth¬ 
ing, because he will not be able to move to the proper 
point at the proper time. To exemplify this I quote the 
words of Mr. W. E. Allen : “ In the first instance the 
ball was passed from one side of the field near the goal 
to a man on the other. Although he was well guarded 
and in a poor position for throwing, he threw for goal 
and missed. The next will show what his better play 
would have been. Much the same kind of a pass was 
made ; but the ball was passed back ; this was done 
once or twice. The man who made the first pass then 
bounded it on the floor until both backs attempted 
to cover him. By this time his fellow forward was 
almost underneath the goal, and with a clear field. A 
quick throw put the ball in his possession, and the 
throw was made. This was scientific basket-ball.” 

In regard to team play in basket-ball, I may say that 
it is just as essential as it is in baseball or football. No 
player should endeavor to show his brilliancy at the 
expense of team play. He may occasionally make a 
goal and thus win a victory for his team, but more 
defeats will follow when team play is neglected for 
individual playing. It is hard to make some basket-ball 
players believe this, and they will cite an instance 
where they have won a game by their individual play¬ 
ing. It is only by suffering defeat several times there¬ 
after that they learn, by bitter experience, what they 
might have learned by taking a little timely advice. 


20 


304 


Practical Training. 


It is not an easy matter to teach a team to work scien¬ 
tifically and together. Each man must be studied, his 
work must be planned carefully, his disposition must 
be a pleasant one, he must be a careful and conscien¬ 
tious worker, and above all must do as he is told by 
the person coaching him. Every team that plays bas¬ 
ket-ball should have a code of signals, and no man 
should be allowed to play in a league game unless he 
knows every signal perfectly. The slightest mistake in 
a single signal, frequently is sufficient to defeat an 
excellent team. 

Basket-ball players should take additional exercises 
calculated to develop their wind. If a team is able to 
play fast enough and keep it up any length of time, it 
will soon have the opposing team winded and will be 
able to play all around its members. I would advise 
basket-ball players to cultivate a good wind, so that 
they may have the requisite amount of endurance for a 
hard, fast game. 

Basket-ball is of especial benefit because it brings 
a great many muscles into play. It also strengthens 
the heart and lungs and develops them. The action on 
the brain is one that requires quick thought, precision, 
coolness, and accuracy. It also by increasing the cir¬ 
culation increases the action of the skin, and by estab¬ 
lishing the process of perspiration rids the skin of 
products which, if retained, prove noxious. Further, 
it is not a violent and rough game, and therefore may 
be played by girls and women also. The exercise 


Basket-Ball. 


305 

caused by basket-ball has a tonic effect and it affords 
pleasure. 

, Basket-ball is of great benefit as a discipline to 
mental training, because the man who becomes an 
expert player must train his mind so thoroughly, in 
the strategy of the game, that it undergoes the severest 
kind of work. 

Good basket-ball players, as other athletes, are not 
made in a day. The game is so full of strategy that it 
requires years of hard, conscientious practice ; and I 
firmly believe that the man who becomes a good player 
will, other things being equal, be successful in other 
sports. 

I think there is one way the game could be im¬ 
proved, and that is by stretching a net along the sides 
at a height that would prevent the ball from going out 
of bounds. It is very common to see a beautiful play 
spoiled by having the ball go out of bounds, and in 
addition to this there would not be so many delays. 
The playir.g would also be more continuous, and from 
this there would be a better opportunity to work 
“ tricks ” and signals. Continuous playing would like¬ 
wise add more interest not only on the part of the 
teams but also on that of the spectators. A rule easily 
could be formulated whereby the ball must touch the 
floor, after striking the net, before a player may touch 
it, under the penalty of a foul. 





3°6 


Practical Training. 


conclusion. 

I trust those who read this book will be char¬ 
itable as to my mentioning tricks. I have seen them 
again and again, and I am only guarding the more 
noble athletes who never allow themselves to be cen¬ 
sured for a mean trick. Honest athletes never think 
of such meanness and are far above anything of the 
kind. Again, novices by being informed of these tricks 
are prepared for them when they enter a race, and do 
not have to learn their lessons by experience, which is 
often a very sad teacher. I hope to see the day when 
the honesty of an athlete will be beyond a shadow 
of doubt; and with the increasing interest and care 
which are now being taken by amateur athletic asso¬ 
ciations to keep out all professional tricks, I feel sure 
the day is not far distant when such will be the case. 





^boy! "CbcrcH 

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